


A Deal With The Devil

by LohKnomona



Series: Deal [1]
Category: Winx Club
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-20
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-10-13 06:40:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 28,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17483078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LohKnomona/pseuds/LohKnomona
Summary: The anger he could feel surprised him. He didn't really know what betrayal was, mostly because he never trusted anyone enough to be surprised when they did betray him. But it seemed Bloom had not done the same.





	1. A Deal With A Demon

**Author's Note:**

> This story happens in the third season. Baltor has been defeated a first time, and the Trix have abandoned him and were captured. This story takes place just after Faragonda and Bloom talked.
> 
> Seems like Bloom is putting the pieces together, one by one.
> 
> I originally posted it on fanfiction.net.

It was crazy.

Insane.

Or totally mad.

But she didn't care. In this moment, she stopped caring.

She hated the Trix because they wanted power, and would stop at nothing to have it. Even fighting against each other. And honestly, she couldn't understand that. Weren't they stronger as a team ? Weren't they some kind of sisters ? It seemed they were linked by a very sick bond.

She hated Lord Darkar because he was just like the three witches : power-hungry, and wanted to sit on the throne of the Magical Dimension, only for the satisfaction of knowing he beat everyone in this universe.

She hated Baltor because, whatever it was, he had something to do with the death of her parents, and her planet being destroyed. And he wanted to reign over all the realms.

But there was something that she couldn't hate them for. Something that she actually quite liked about them : they were honest about what they wanted. Sometimes too much, when they would speak instead of trying to fight, but alas, they never tried to manipulate her into doing things. They would force her, just like Lord Darkar had, but never manipulate her and her friends into causing damages and making them do some things they would regret.

It was something she had never thought about actually. In her mind, it was always how it was supposed to be. It seemed that no bad guys, or girls, from the Magical Dimension thought about using her. But were they really bad people ?

She knew they were, but at this moment, where she sat on her bed, her head pressed into her hands, she couldn't stop the question from entering her mind. What if ?

She heard some fireworks in the distance, and the colors reflected on the walls of her room. They were all celebrating. But she knew they shouldn't. He was still out there, still alive.

She didn't know why she took this decision.

The overwhelming feelings ? The doubts that crept in about Faragonda ? Or the fact that no one was there to see her go ?

It was not something she would dwell on.

Instead, she decided to get up from her bed, and in a second she had teleported away. Where she felt Baltor the most.

It mildly surprised her to arrive in Andros. After all, it was where it all began.

She could feel him. He wasn't as strong as he was this morning, but that didn't mean he was weak.

Shaking from what she thought was adrenaline, or anger, Bloom stepped into a labyrinth of his own design. Every path she took looked like the precedent. She wouldn't be able to make it back without magic.

All she concentrated on was the feeling she got from his part of the dragon flame. It was the only thing that could lead her to him. And it felt like an eternity.

But finally she got to him.

The sudden light blinded her, but then she looked at the place she was in : it was big, and covered in ice. And, in the middle of what she decided to call a room, she saw him, on the ground. She heard his shaky breaths. She saw the blood around him. But what shocked her the most was that he was shivering.

Even when she was sick, Bloom would never be cold. It never happened to her.

She got closer, and cast a spell to reveal any space manipulation. When it didn't, she realized it was really Baltor she saw. It was really him. No lies this time. Or so it seemed.

So she got close to him, but he didn't wake up.

She called out his name, but he didn't react.

The first thing she decided to do was to cast a warming spell on him. The second was to get the bruises clean. And then she waited.

It didn't take long for him to understand something was wrong, and that suddenly feeling better wasn't normal.

He opened his eyes, and she saw the weakness inside them. Which quickly turned to anger when he realized who was standing in front of him.

But he masked it pretty well behind a smirk, and he slowly sat up, looking up to seal her gaze in his. He knew there was more to their connection than just the feeling of one another. He knew he had an effect on her, whatever it was.

"So you now take pity on your enemies ? That won't get you far," he drawled out.

She simply shrugged. "I'm not,' she simply answered. "I needed you to wake up, we need to talk," she announced.

His eyes widened a bit, obviously surprised. "What do you want to know ? How I really killed your parents ?"

"Someone revealed to me that you didn't. My parents aren't dead," she said.

He tensed, and his smirk fell off his face. The only thing he could blackmail her with was her parents' situation, or their death. Now she knew he wasn't even there when they lost their battle. He eyed her warily.

"Well," he sighed, tired, "what could you possibly want to know ? Maybe how I participated in the destruction of your home ?"

The dismissing gesture Bloom made with her hand was enough to confuse him. All she cared about was her parents and her planet. It was the only thing linking them. The only thing he could've had answers to.

"No. And it's not destroyed, it's just covered in snow and ice."

"It's just as if it had been."

She seemed to disagree when those words escaped his mouth before he could think about them. But, just as she did before, she didn't mind them. "I'm here for something else."

A feeling of dread filled him. Maybe she just came here to finish her work, and he would be too weak to stop her. At least, he wouldn't be publicly humiliated, again. But there was no way she'd let him get out of a fight alive.

"Well then, what is it ?"

She looked at him for some time, before she decided to sit in front of him.

It surprised him. He had almost reached out to his magic, prepared to protect himself from an attack.

"I want to know why Griffin decided to leave you for the Company of Light."

For sure, he didn't expect this question. His eyes narrowed.

"Why, so you can rejoice in knowing I was defeated by someone I used to know ?" he sneered.

She lifted one of her eyebrows up, and shook her head.

"No. I just want to know why she chose to side with her enemies all of a sudden."

He laid back, and stared at her. For a second, he thought about lying to her. After all, Griffin would probably never accept to talk about her past, especially the time when she was working for the Ancestral Witches, at his side. She would never know.

But he was tired. She would probably see right through him, and a fight wasn't what he wanted. So he sighed while she stared at him, studying his every move.

"I don't know what made her change side, or how the Company even trusted her enough to let her join them. All I know is that, one day, she told me she was going, and that I could join her," he started. She didn't seem eager to interrupt her, so he continued. "Of course, I couldn't. I was tied to the Witches. I was and am, and always will be their puppet. Any order of them, and I shall execute it without giving it a thought… but she didn't have to. So she went away, seeing how wrong what she did was, I suppose."

He coughed, and she conjured a water bottle for him.

"Something you don't."

He gave a bitter laugh, throwing the bottle away when he finished drinking. "Oh I do. But what am I to do, Bloom, when I cannot resist their orders ? Think about every bad thing I ever did and tell myself I'm a really bad person ? No, I'm not like that. I decided that I liked seeing people hurting. I decided I like it when they scream, and beg for mercy. I decided that I like being the bad guy."

She wasn't surprised, but hearing him say those things wasn't easy. The predator eyes he now had put her on her guard. It wasn't human anymore : she could see his demon side, the one he desperately tried to hide from everyone.

"But do you truly like it ?" She asked.

He smirked. "What if I do ? Will you kill me for it ?" He saw her open her mouth to answer, but decided not to let her. "And what if I don't ? What if I hate what I did ? Will it erase any of my actions ?"

Again, she opened her mouth to answer, but this time couldn't come up with anything, so she lamely shut her mouth, under the amused gaze of Baltor.

"Now that I answered your question, I would like you to answer one of mine."

She shrugged. "Okay, what is it ?"

"Why does Griffin's past intrigues you ?"

She looked up and thought about it.

"I don't know who to trust anymore. Your point of view seemed as good as any."

He laughed. "What ? You mean to tell me the Princess of Sparx, leader of the Winx Club, most powerful fairy in the Magical Dimension, has troubles finding who she can trust ?"

"Yes, I do," she answered, which only made him laugh harder.

"That is too good ! And what made you think that ? Did blondie look at another fairy ? Or maybe it was a witch ? Griffin ? Is that-"

"Please !" She interrupted him, while suddenly getting up. "It's nothing like that. I just… realized some things."

She decided to be vague on purpose. She hadn't decided if she could trust him with her thoughts. Not that anyone she knew would believe him, but she didn't want rumors to start spreading.

"Exactly, no one will ever know. Now, what is it ?"

She hated it when he looked into her thoughts. She'd supposed he could, but he'd never acknowledged it. Although it seemed to be hard, if his hard breathing was anything to go by.

"Don't go in my head," she said, while putting her right hand on her hip, looking bossy as possible. He only offered an innocent smile, while putting his hands in the air. She only sighed and turned her back to him to gather her thoughts.

"Just because there's the word "Light" in Company of Light, doesn't mean all the people part of it were good, even if they're considered as heroes now. It just means they wanted the Ancestral Witches gone, for whatever reasons they had," he said, his tone serious now.

She turned around, and looked at him, her interest in him rising.

"Yet, I haven't heard any story telling how bad one of those heroes was," she said, crossing her arms.

"Heroes…" He paused and thought about that. "Do you think they were considered as such after their fiasco on Sparx ?" He asked, cocking his head on his right side.

"I don't know, you were the one calling them like that. Although, I'll admit it doesn't add up," she said.

"Exactly. Why would they be considered heroes after an entire planet was destroyed ?" He asked again, like he was trying to make her understand something. She hated riddles.

Bloom decided that sitting down in front of him was better than pacing back and forth. "Well then, explain."

"Sparx was respected, and adored. You've never really seen it… but it was the most beautiful place in our galaxy," he started, seeing in the eyes of the red head that she started to understand.

"They were envied ?"

"Oh, much more than that !" He immediately answered. "Your parents were at the top of everything. The country was at the top in almost everything. Your people were the richest. Rumors started spreading that the Queen Marion was pregnant with another girl. And knowing the first one was powerful only made people outside your Kingdom scared. And it had been this way for centuries. Your Kingdom was at peace because it was respected, or feared."

It felt like she'd been hit in her stomach.

"But… why would… Griffin, Faragonda… Why would they betray Sparx ? They were led by my parents !"

He looked at her a second before answering.

"I don't know what their personal reasons were. The only thing I could guess was that Griffin must've been given an ultimatum for all her committed crimes and forced to join your parents' side. I'm not sure it was her choice to fight the Ancestresses. As for your mentor… I never had the pleasure to know her personally. Nor did I had a real chance to talk with the others."

Bloom put her head in her hands, while Baltor decided it was time for him to lay back on the ground.

"I think… she wanted something out of this," she finally said.

"I don't know what she would've wanted. As far as I know, she never wanted to see me, or the Witches ever again," he answered, closing his eyes.

"I'm not talking about Griffin !" She said, her frustration palpable. "I'm talking about Faragonda."

He looked up to look at her face. Somewhat, he expected her to be kidding.

"Why doubt her ?" He simply inquired.

"She… I feel like her puppet. I feel like I'm everyone's puppet."

He narrowed his eyes.

"You seemed to go after me of your own will," he said, his tone harsher as he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I know !" She said. Baltor just watched as the ice around her started melting. "But… without Faragonda, we would've never known about Enchantix. Or at least as soon as we did. The same for our Charmix. But she told us anyway. Us, seventeen to eighteen years old girls. She told us and never stopped us from going to fight a battle where we could've easily died !"

The anger he could feel surprised him. He didn't really know what betrayal was, mostly because he never trusted anyone enough to be surprised when they did betray him. But it seemed Bloom had not done the same.

"I also discovered she took out all the books about my sister that were in Alfea's librairy just after I did some research on her. She never tried to understand the curse Darkar put on me, and never inquired about it. And she didn't think it was good to warn me about you ! It's like she was…" but she trailed off, and bit her lower lip. Obviously she did not want to share this last thought with him.

"I don't know and can't help you understand the actions your mentor or any member of the Company of Light has done. But what I do know, is that going to your enemy, who has lied to you many times before, isn't something you would usually do. So why ?"

She pondered about it for a second.

"Because you're honest, in your own way. I know you are my enemy, and I know I shouldn't trust you. Therefor, I know I should doubt what comes out of your mouth. But how would I know if I'm supposed to doubt Ms. Faragonda's words ?"

Baltor looked at her, and seemed to think.

"So you think the old fairy hides something from you ?"

"I'm not sure, but her actions, ever since I entered her school were… suspicious, to say the least."

He nodded.

"I'll make you a deal," he said.

She sighed and got up.

"No, listen to me ! This time, I won't cheat !" He said, desperate.

She looked at him, and prepared a spell just in case he wanted to try her.

"I'll help you figure out if your mentor really is using you… no, if any member of the Company of Light has been using you." He talked fast, and it was a bit messy. The mask this demon had worn their entire meeting was melting, and in his place stood a scared man, who seemed to prefer to live rather than keeping his old grudge against her and her family. Who would go against this Ancestral Witches so she wouldn't end his life.

"And what do you want in return ?" She asked, knowing he wouldn't do something so selfless, especially for her.

"You keep me alive. I'll find work in a place far away, and never bother you again. But if someone recognizes me, I want to be assured you'll come to my rescue."

To say she was shocked was not enough. It was not something she'd seen coming.

She had wondered if she would kill him or not at the end of their talk, and told herself it depended about how the talk went. Maybe she would've let him live some more few days, before he tried to attack or steal anything else. But this… was not something she expected. And she didn't welcome the new responsibility either.

"So you'll stop stealing ? Killing ? Or controlling people ?" She asked.

"Yes," he sneered. "I will be a good little boy, just like your blondie. Will it be enough, Princess ?"

She looked at him, and sighed.

"You already know the answer," she said as she watched a smirk grow on his face. "But the moment you do something wrong, something really bad intentionally, being back in Omega will be the least of your problems."

"I didn't expect anything else," he answered in all honesty.


	2. Home Sweet Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While her friends receive their certificate, Bloom decides it's time to start working.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bloom isn't as good or innocent in this story. She's still a good person, and won't turn into a bad girl… but she may be a little more bitter (especially now that she doubts Faragonda, Hagen, and everyone who knew Domino before the war).  
> Also, I'm a French person. English is not my first language. So if you notice any mistake, or sentences that seem funny… let me know, because it gets a bit messy sometimes for me.

At first, she thought it had been a mistake. She made a deal with him out of desperation, and because she'd been tired. She didn't really think about the consequences of her actions. But now, seeing her friends as they became Guardian Fairies, she couldn't help but doubt herself.

She wanted this title, of course, but she knew she couldn't have it just now. What would she guard ? But furthermore, maybe she didn't deserve it after all. She'd let a war criminal, who had committed a thousand crimes against almost everyone in the Magical Dimension, live. For selfish reasons.

She clenched her fists, and she felt her anger getting out of control. Before anyone noticed how the heat was growing around her, she left to her room. No one stopped her, they were all too amazed by her friends.

Once in her shared bedroom, that would soon be for some other fairy, she started packing.

She told her friends she had to leave quickly.

She felt bad for that : the girls had followed her all the way to Hagen's home, braving the storm and an army of… magical robots ? They almost lost their lives for her, and now she was leaving them behind, with no explanation.

But she didn't know if she could tell them what she thought about their mentor right now. She knew the girls had Ms. Faragonda in high esteem, and she didn't want them to think she'd gone berserk, or that one of them would take it upon herself and talk to their headmistress without telling her first.

Plus she now suspected Hagen. Even though he seemed honest, she couldn't stop the thoughts in her head telling her that, maybe, he didn't fight the Ancestresses _just_ for her parents. It seemed like a very selfless move, from someone who would've killed her and her friends simply because they wanted to talk to him.

And the way he reacted when the headmistress arrived, as if her simple presence was a message. An order. At first he'd seemed surprised, but not in a good way. Nor was it bad. He just seemed surprised she would show up for someone. And that's what ticked her off : Ms. Faragonda was a good, loving and giving fairy. So why would anyone be surprised if she was protecting someone ?

Her friends hadn't noticed anything, and Hagen had soon put a smile on his face. But he didn't tell her anything more than what she already knew. He'd been understanding, but that had been the end of it. And it angered her.

When she finished packing, she opened a portal, and went straight to her home.

She only sighed when she found her ex-sworn enemy lying on her bed, a book before him. One she knew all too well.

"Is it interesting to you ?" She asked, while casting a spell to make her clothes go in her dressing.

"Humans have… a very interesting point of view on magic," he said, a mocking smile on his face.

"Well, it's a surprise they still have an idea of what magic is, considering any memory of it was removed."

She'd discovered all about earth fairies, when he'd asked why she had so many 'fake stories' about fairies. She learned about the Black Circle, the fairies they had killed, and how the Magical Dimension thought fit to deal with the situation.

"Yes, a surprise really…" he trailed off, laughing at whatever was written.

She rolled her eyes, and started unpacking the rest of her things when someone knocked on her door.

"Darling, are you home ?" Asked her mother.

"Yes, just arrived," she answered. "You can come in."

Baltor sighed, and let the book alone, deciding sitting on the bed was a better position to greet the woman.

"Oh, seeing all your things in this room is a bit weird, it's been so long since you were gone," she smiled as she pulled her adopted daughter into a hug. She then noticed the man, dressed in strange clothes, sitting on her daughter's bed. "Hello Baltor, I didn't know you came back too," she said, suddenly more reserved.

"I came back recently too, and some book caught my attention," he answered with a sweet smile. Vanessa smiled back, and told them dinner would be served at eight. Both Dragon Flame's keeper nodded, and the brunette went away, closing the door behind her.

"Your adopted mother's nice. I didn't know your parents would let me stay here as easy as that," he said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"She trusts my decisions. If I say you're okay, then you _are_ okay," she told him, her tone harsh after realizing what he suggested.

"But I am not, am I ?"

She decided to change the subject, as she knew he was right. And she wouldn't let him have the satisfaction of hearing her admit it.

"I found Hagen," she muttered as she sat beside him, leaving a lot of space between them.

"You don't seem too happy about it," he said, putting his head in one of his hand, and his elbow on one knee.

She told him about Hagen and his incapability to tell her where or how to find her parents, only telling her about the way he 'desperately tried to find her parents'. She told him how he was ready to kill her, simply because he did not want to talk to her. And she told him the strange reaction he had when the headmistress of Alfea showed up.

Baltor seemed to be thinking, but in the end, only shrugged.

"We cannot assume anything yet. He's been away from civilization for so long, seeing the face of an old friend could've surprised him a lot."

She looked at him for a moment, and nodded.

"Yeah… Seems logical, but I prefer to stay on guard," she sighed. She saw him stare at her from the corner of her left eye. "What ?"

"What are you gonna do now ? I made a deal, and I'd like this mission to be over soon," he answered. Her gaze could've killed him.

"Believe me, I don't want to be around you _either_. I don't even want you to be in this house !" She said, keeping her voice as low as she could bring herself to. She didn't want her parents to worry. "But we don't have much of a choice, do we ? There is no clue about Ms. Faragonda, or any other members of the Company of Light. Except Griffin, they all seem… perfect ! The only people that could tell us the truth are my parents !"

He laid back on his elbows, and watched her intently. "Yes, but finding them will be a little bit _complicated_. No one knows what happened to your birth planet. Even I don't have any idea about what went on for it to be… turned to what it is now."

She felt the anger and stress get to her head. It was all she felt in the past few days. Only being able to talk about her doubts to someone she hated was really getting to her. She felt like she was going crazy.

Baltor must've felt the tension rising, because he resumed to reading the book he left a moment ago. As for her, she went downstairs, not wanting to spend another minute in his company, and instead tried to enjoy some time with her parents.

They seemed to accept Baltor's presence pretty easily. It seemed he could behave, when he wanted to. Maybe a little too much, Bloom realized, when Mike started saying how nice and serving he was. She only frowned at that, and let it slip.

The time for dinner came, and it was eaten in silence. Maybe because Bloom felt like murdering the person in front of her. Maybe because the person in front of her felt like murdering _her_. Maybe because the smiles on her parents' faces showed _exactly_ what they were thinking.

But they didn't try to make them talk, and Baltor got out pretty quickly, leaving her to enjoy a meal with her parents. And it was nice. She could finally take her mind off from all the problems she was facing.

Finally, tired from her day, she decided to go to bed.

Baltor had already conjured a bed for himself, as far as he could from her own bed, but his presence was still noticeable. The dark energy she felt from him making him impossible to forget. She only hoped she would get a restful sleep.

Which didn't happen, of course.

She should've expected it.

She woke up in her dream, and found herself face to face with her sister.

Happiness filled her. Even if she didn't know her very well, Bloom couldn't help but think that, if her sister survived, there was hope for her parents, and her whole planet. And as they talked, hope for them just kept rising.

So, when she really woke up, a grin was on her face. When she held Daphne's mask, she knew there was really hope for their family.

It was a smiling Bloom that greeted Baltor the moment he opened his eyes.

"I know where to begin our research," she simply stated.

And he couldn't help but worry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I only want time transitions to happen from a chapter to another so that's why there's not much going on in this chapter... but I thought it was a pretty important chapter : Bloom goes on an adventure on her own, with our favorite bad guy. Which is weird, and I felt the need to explain why she did it, instead of jumping into the action right away.
> 
> Maybe you wonder why Bloom made Baltor stay in her house (in her bedroom like… what the hell ?). The answer is quite simple : she cannot afford an apartment, and I'm pretty sure making money with magic must be forbidden by some magical law, and he cannot take a job yet, seeing as they have a lot of adventures to go through. He couldn't just disappear like that.


	3. Sparx

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a weird feeling, being home but knowing you can't stay, nor trust anyone.

Getting to Sparx had been an easy trick for him, being a master of portals by now. As for Bloom, she'd seemed wary to follow him, but did it anyway, not asking any question. And as he stepped on the planet's ground for the first time in years, he couldn't stop his eyes from widening.

It used to be beautiful, and green, with all kinds of animal running and singing, while people traveled and laughed. Now, it looked like the outside of Omega, where snow and ice were kings. A planet in which almost nobody could survive. It's as if, when the people disappeared, the planet itself started mourning.

He immediately straightened his back when he heard the red head get out of the portal, and just like him, let out a shudder when the cold wind suddenly hit her.

"Now, where to, Princess ?" He asked, turning to her. She ignored him, and focused on conjuring the mask of her sister. He was about so make some sarcastic remark, but she spoke first.

"With it, I'll be able to see Sparx as it was and… Oh it's beautiful !"

He let her be amazed for a moment at what she saw, before calling her name, bringing her back to their mission. She frowned at the tone he used, but didn't say anything. "I know where to go. Just follow me !" She ordered before transforming. He grind his teeth, not being used to be pushed around, but executed himself.

The search wasn't hard. Although, once he recognized the bird, Baltor didn't feel as confident. "You're sure this is the right library ?" He asked, not letting his nervousness show.

"What, you're scared ?" She let out, not sparing him a glance, only flying higher until she clearly saw what they were looking for.

"No, but I'd like our mission to succeed," he answered, now getting angry from her comment. Hearing from this sentence that his mood had suddenly changed, she turned to him, her brows furrowing.

"Why are you acting like this, all of a sudden ? It's just a library," she stated, shaking her head.

"No, _Princess_ , it's not _just_ a library. The mountain you see is actually a _bird_ , a mythical creature of Domino, called The Roc," he explained as he gestured at the pile of rocks. "And it would be foolish of us if we did not take our precautions."

She simply nodded, and motioned for him to lead the way. He smirked, and slowly took off. She followed him suit.

They slowly made their was to the entrance of the library, and she laughed while opening the gates. "Very dangerous, indeed."

 _Let her have her fun_ , he thought, trying hard not to break his promise by casting a spell behind her back.

When he entered, a flow of memory assaulted him : in his younger years, it was a place he loved to go to, even though he always had to hide. So much knowledge was contained inside those books, things he learned behind the back of his Mistresses, and that any magical creature should know.

He had wondered if this beautiful place had fallen too, in his time trapped in Omega.

He followed Bloom as she entered a maze of books and woods, until they walked in a dead end, a book sitting lonely in the middle of the circular room. The blonde man didn't recognized this room, as it was one of the most well-guarded place, in a previous time. And he never tried breaking into it, in order not to alert the royalty of his presence, nor his Mothers.

"The Book of Fate…" she whispered as she walked up to it.

Because Baltor was behind her, she missed the worried look in his eyes that appeared the moment she uttered those words. He knew of this book, and he was reminded of the reason why this place was on a mystical bird, and why this room was guarded.

She opened a page under his careful eyes, and the wizard prepared himself for the moment where she would tell him she knew the truth.

Which, surprisingly, didn't come. Instead, all he saw was the red head turning the pages faster and faster, not reading anything. He frowned. Something was very wrong, so he asked.

"I don't know," she answered, not happy at all by the turn of events. "I can't read anything that's written in this book ! I don't know this language !"

He approached at her outburst, and looked at the pages. She stepped behind him, leaving a lot of space between them, her desperation not letting her forget who he really was. He smiled internally as he noticed that, and went on to examine the pages.

He recognized the language, but it was so old and complicated he couldn't have learned it without some help. Which he didn't have. But all members of the royal family, and to a certain extent, the court, knew this language and could read it.

His eyes landed on Bloom, for a moment. The girl with a blue top, a skirt and high heels. A girl that had turned eighteen, and only discovered three years ago she was part of a royal family that didn't exist. A girl that had many friends to help her out, to fight evil or to find her parents. A girl so close to match him in power.

A girl from a royal family incapable of reading her own tongue.

"I can't help you out, it is too old, even for me. Only a member of…" he trailed off as he watched the writing beginning to fly above the pages, before a blinding light made him walk back. Out of instinct, he lifted his right arm bin front of the red head, and prepared himself to cast a spell from his left hand.

But the light only turned into a man. And old man. A very familiar man. Who did not seem to be happy about his presence.

"You !" Said the ghost in anger. "What are you doing here ? _How_ did you even get in here ?!"

Baltor raised an eyebrow, and let his arms fall at his side. "Good to see you, Bartelby." The entity opened its mouth to talk, but when he saw Bloom, he closed it immediately, his eyes widening.

"Hello. My name is Bloom, daughter of King Oritel and Queen Marion. I would like to ask for your help," she said. The blonde was surprised at the authority in her voice. It was the first time she was being so sure of herself in his presence.

"What would our Princess do with a traitor at her side ?" Asked the ghost, completely lost.

She only gave a little, sad smile. "He was the only one I could trust to help me."

Baltor smirked when the old scribe turned to glare at him. "I don't know which lies he fed you with, but you cannot trust this… creature ! He fooled everyone on Domino, and will not hesitate to do the same with you !"

"What do you mean ?" Asked the fairy, her eyes widening, and her stance clearly showing she prepared herself to fight him off. The blonde only shrugged, and smiled. All the scribe could tell her, she would've guessed it by now.

"He was responsible for the weakening of Sparx's defense ! He used his powers to make guards do what he wanted ! He convinced people that our King and Queen were not as loving as they seemed ! He-" Bloom sighed and stopped him by raising her right hand.

"I know that he was responsible for the destruction of our realm, but I need him. For now. I have no idea if the ones I call friends… really are. I don't know if the ones that were supposed to protect this realm really did. For now, he's the only person that made his intentions clear," she explained, her head high. "I was the one to ask for his help. As unhappy as I am, he really is the only one I can trust, and ask for help in my… quest." The old man only shook his head, and bowed lightly to the Princess.

"I will trust your judgement Princess. Now, why are you here ?" He asked, while purposely ignoring the wizard. Who did not really care, and just watched the scene as it unfolded.

"I need to know what happened to my parents, where they are," she said in a desperate tone, and Baltor could only guess the hope shining in those big blue eyes of hers.

The scribe went on to show pictures of her happy family, of her and her sister, of the Company of Light. She seemed genuinely delighted to see all those people in younger versions of themselves. And just when he thought he would finally be rid of the girl, because she would find out the truth about her parents, all his hopes were crushed.

"It seems, Princess Bloom, that they are trapped in the Obsidian Dimension," he said carefully. She immediately asked if they were still alive, but the scribe could only shake his head, once again. "I do not know, I'm afraid. Even the book cannot reach them now."

Baltor sighed. "What about her future, old man ? Surely something is written about our _dear Princess_ here," he asked. The scribe eyed him warily, but still made the pages turn, looking into it.

"It doesn't appear to be so. Only one prophecy, passed from elder to elder, is related to our Princess Bloom," he explained, as Baltor just looked up in the air, already knowing that only rubbish would come out of his mouth. " _At the crossroad of the endless roads, demons of stone lead to the abyss of the caged people. A king without a crown will save another King of a lost kingdom, and the six of the fellowship that defends light will shine with dazzling strength in the evil darkness. And what was lost, will finally be found once again._ "

The wizard thought about it for a second, but was quickly interrupted in his thoughts when he felt another dark energy. "We cannot stay here, _Princess_ ," he suddenly said, trying to identify what he felt. "Something is coming. Fast."

She stared at him for some time, and finished her talk with the elder, before he grew too tired and disappeared. The red head then turned to him. "What is it you're talking about ? I can't feel anything."

"I wouldn't expect otherwise, it's a very dark energy, and it's trying to hide," he explained.

"So why can you feel it ?" She asked. But he decided their safety came first, and when he felt the thing enter the library, he chose to create a portal that would lead them right back to Alfea, by the lake where she once defeated him.

When he grabbed her arm, she struggled a little, her defenses coming up in an instant, but he did not let her have the time to cast a spell. He threw her inside the portal, and jumped into it right as the presence entered the room.

Bloom was on the ground when he landed, and he closed the portal as fast as he could, before offering a hand to the fairy to help her get up. Which she did not accept, and he was, again, confronted with a very angry red head.

"What was _that_?! She asked angrily.

He only sighed. "It has entered the library. I decided it was better to flee then try to fight it. It seemed pretty strong." Baltor explained, his arms crossed.

She mimicked his stance. "I didn't feel anything !"

"Of course you didn't. You're too full of light to be able to notice something so dark," he told her as he shrugged.

She sighed. "At least, we know where to look now."

The wizard sat on the ground, obviously drained from all this energy he'd used.

"What is this Osbidian Dimension ?" She asked, to change the subject.

He sighed. "The worst place in this universe, as far as I know."

"Worse than Omega ?" She said while raising an eyebrow.

"Much worse. Omega is cold, but you can survive to it. The Osidian Dimension is... made of darkness, and evil. It corrupts everything it touches. It makes you mad, and delirious..." he trailed off, as he raised his eyes to watch her fairy form. "And for a fairy like you, who needs light to survive, it would kill you without a doubt. You wouldn't survive a day in it."

She frowned, as an ugly feeling started to raise its head. "So my parents..."

He looked beyond her now, staring off in the distance. "Maybe they're dead, but maybe they survived it, one way or another. Although I do not know if they will be the same people as before. Darkness may have bewitched them."

She sighed. The red head still believed there was hope, but Baltor's words made that feeling diminish again and again. If what he said was true, maybe she would find horrible versions of her parents, tortured by the darkness of the dimension for seventeen years. Left alone, struggling to simply survive a terrible fate.

"We should get back," she announced.

"Yes, Princess, but, alas, I am in no condition to get us anywhere."

As she took in his physical appearance, she noticed the bags under his eyes, and the way his eyes only half opened now. She just shrugged, and decided they could stay there and rest. He didn't object, and finally lowered his guard, while closing his eyes.

Time passed, and she lost herself in her thoughts. Until she felt a presence. Someone was there.

She immediately turned to Baltor, but he must've sensed it too, because he was already up.

Before any of them could move, a flash of light was thrown at him, right into his chest, and he was sent flying into a tree. She immediately prepared herself to fight off any enemy, but when she saw the familiar figure come out of the woods, she immediately lowered her arms.

"Stella ?" She asked, surprised. Her friend seemed angrier than ever, and her eyes were strained on Baltor. The man struggled to get up, and the fairy of light prepared herself, ready to throw another powerful spell. The wizard was able to protect himself this time, and looked at the red head with a meaningful glare. "Stella wait !" Screamed Bloom, before putting herself between her friend and he enemy.

"No, Bloom. This ends _now_!" She yelled. "Why aren't you dead yet ?!"

She threw herself in the air, and Bloom had no other choice but to help Baltor shield himself this time. Opening a portal would weaken him. But opening two portals would only leave him with the bare minimum of magic to survive. Even Domino's heir could feel the lack of power in him. "Stella, stop !" She cried out again.

The other fairy, shocked beyond words at the sight of her best friend protecting their worst enemy, slowly came back onto the ground. "You'd better have a good explanation Bloom. This demon destroyed countless lives ! Why are you protecting him ?!"

Slowly, the two fairies lowered their arms, while Baltor used the tree behind him to get back up on his feet.

"It's complicated Stella… He's the only one I could trust," she told her blonde friend.

Her friend froze, and the Sun fairy's hurt expression made Bloom realize what she just said.

"Not this way Stella !" She immediately told her friend, who seemed to have a hard time breathing. "But I have doubts about someone, and I could not put you into this ! I do not want you to be into this ! It could hurt you !"

"And so what ?" Spat the blonde fairy as she regained her composure. "You go to our worst enemy instead ? Because you can trust him with this and not your best friends ?! Because as far as I know, this monster only tells lies !" Bloom faltered at those words. She knew it would be complicated to convince her friends if they ever discovered the truth, but her friend did not even want to hear any explanation. She only wanted to see the man gone. "We came to your house to wish you a happy birthday this morning, did you know that ?" She informed the red head. "And, when you didn't come down, we decided to go into your room. What a _surprise_ it was when we only found _two_ empty beds !" She yelled accusingly.

"I know it seems weird, Stel, but-"

"Let me finish Bloom !" Interrupted the other Princess, putting a hand in the air. "Do you know what happened when we asked your parents where you and Sky could've gone ? Because, you know, as we saw boys clothes, we thought it would be him. But no. No, actually, your parents told us it was a man that went by the name of Baltor." She continued, her head turning to the same color as the hair of her friend's. "At first we thought it was a joke. Or a mistake. A weird coincidence maybe. So we followed the traces the portal left. A portal made of dark energy."

The tears rolling down on her reddened cheeks made Baltor wonder how weak fairies could be. But he made a point not to show his disgust, or really do any movement at all. He did not want the crazy girl to come back after him.

"After that, and seeing it led to Sparx, the others started to voice their opinions, but, silly me thought she knew better and told them to stop, that you couldn't have done that ! And I was clearly wrong !" Baltor had to use all the might left in him not to snort. "So, we land on a deserted and cold planet, and follow the magical trails you two left behind, before stopping in front of a giant mountain, surrounded by an army of insects ! We thought you were trapped inside, so we started fighting them… Did you know the library was on a bird ? After the fight, we had to fly after this… _thing_ and when we got in, you weren't in it either !"

He felt the magic of a portal be opened, and knew her little friends would make an entrance in a matter of minutes. Bloom must've felt it too, because she got closer to him. Slowly, but she did. He only prepared to reach for her in case things went wrong.

"So Tecna and Timmy, yet _again_ , had to research where you went ! And, when they did, I decided I would go on my own, because it would take too much time and energy for me to make everyone appear here… And, do you know what I find Bloom ?"

"Stella… It's not what it seems to be, I promise," she said, reaching a hand out toward her friend.

"Explain yourself, because judging from both of your attitudes, you felt that the others will be here soon," she told them, making it clear she knew they both thought of fleeing instead of fighting.

"I… I don't know if we can trust Mrs. Faragonda," simply announced the read head. Her friend just laughed.

"So, what, you go to _Baltor_ ? Because _he_ can be trusted but not the headmistress who _always_ protected us ?"

"That's the thing Stella. When has she ever protected us ?" Asked the blue fairy, finally able to tell what she really thought. "She always made us rush forward in the battle. She always encouraged us to go and fight the enemy, and has never once stopped us. She made it _our_ responsibility," she explained. Baltor saw the eyes of the blonde showed she started thinking, but she didn't uncross her arms, or showed any sign of believing her best friend. "I could understand for the Trix, after all, they were after me. But, for Aisha and Lord Darkar ? Maybe I was a target in the end, but any army could've dealt with him, and better than us, little school girls." Stella narrowed her eyes. "And for Baltor ? Why hasn't any army come up to help us ? Why is it always _our_ responsibility, and the only help we have on the battle field comes from our boyfriends ?"

Stella seemed to think for a moment, and nodded. Bloom let a sigh escape from her lips, and continued.

"But you know what's the most infuriating ? In our first year, I did research on my sister, the Nymph Daphne. And, after that, she removed _all_ the books talking about her," revealed Bloom.

"Why did she do that ?" Asked a skeptical Stella.

"I have no idea. To this day, it's still a mystery. But there's also the fact that she never told me everything I needed to know about my past, only the most obvious details. Hell ! We had to wait until Baltor showed up for her to even _tell me_ there was another magical being that could use the power of the Dragon Flame !" She finished in a yell. It was good to tell her friend all of that, all that she'd been hiding for months, only being able to talk with some monster who did not care one bit.

Only a second ticked by, before one of them moved.

"Oh girl !" Said Stella before going into her arms. "You should've told us ! It totally makes sense !" She stated, before caging her friend in a hug. "I knew you wouldn't betray us !"

Bloom let her tears fall on her cheeks, and Stella laughed it off. That was until screams could be heard from the trees, and the blonde saw Baltor ducking as fast as he could behind Bloom, a vague of Morphix hitting the tree.

"Watch out !" Said Aisha as she prepared another spell, only to be, just as Stella was moments ago, bewildered by the two fairies creating a shield to protect the demon.

"What's going on ?!" Asked a very angry Prince Sky, his sword raised and ready for battle.

Bloom started telling the whole story, once again. And, even if they didn't look convinced, they understood why she hesitated to go to them. They weren't thrilled, of course, and it seemed to be a pretty big hit, but they trusted her decision.

Only then did Bloom notice that two persons were missing.

"Where are Musa and Riven ?"

A loud explosion was her answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Baltor lied to Bloom countless times before, but he was always honest about his intentions : he was a power-hungry maniac, who saw Bloom as a tool. By his side, she would've been very useful and he would've never lost. But, when she refused to join his side, he decided to destroy her, or make her suffer. He never lied about being a good guy wrongfully accused, or denied his actions (even if he twisted the events to make Bloom suffer).
> 
> In this story, Bloom blames the fact that Ms. Faragonda knew about her heritage, but never quite told her. She never told her the whole story. And, as wise and nice as she seems, I can't help but see her as some kind of grandma who lacks empathy towards the Winx, and only show them things when they need them. I mean, why isn't there anyone else trying to stop the bad guys ? Why is it always the Winx, 16 years old girls, dealing with this ? I can understand for the Trix, it was pretty much Cloud Tower vs Alfea… But Lord Darkar ? Baltor ? People were able to put the guy in the Omega dimension once so…
> 
> Anyway, she's nice in the series so I like her in it, but I think that, if it was a little bit more real… she would've been some psychopath (which does not mean she would kill, she would just lack feelings and empathy for others, seeing herself as superior to everyone).
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it. I dunno where the rest will lead but… well. We shall see.


	4. Mandragora

Fighting off Mandragora was difficult. It took the Winx and Faragonda's powers combined to sent her back to where she came from. In the meantime, the Specialists tried to hold back all the giant insects, and protect the unexperienced fairies.

Looking around her, Bloom felt her stomach turn, and tears threatened to fall : her school was almost totally destroyed. The dorms had collapsed, and it looked like what was still standing would fall in a minute.

She saw fairy students, with cuts and bruises. Some badly damaged, who would keep scars from this battle.

Her friends brought her back to reality, and she blinked away the tears, shaking her head.

"What was _that_?" Inquired a disgusted Stella.

"That, Stella, was Mandragora. Former Keeper of the Obsidian Circle," explained the headmistress, as she reached for Hagen's arm to stand.

"Former ?" Asked Aisha.

"Yes," nodded Faragonda "she was corrupted by the darkness of this evil kingdom, and we had no other choice but to seal her in the dimension she once guarded."

"So who's keeping the gate ?" Frowned Tecna.

"No one," answered Hagen. "The darkness is too strong. No friend of light could possibly guard this evil place. It was decided that any access to it shall be severed, and any mention of it be destroyed, so no one would search for it."

Bloom noticed the way the old fairy seemed to grow taller, as if she was nervous when she heard those words come out of his mouth. But her focus quickly came back to the state of the school was in.

"What are we going to do ?" She sighed, exhausted.

"First, we're going to rest," said Faragonda. "We'll see what we can do tomorrow."

"Are we sure this monstrous thing isn't going to come back and try to finish the job ?" Skeptically asked Stella, crossing her arms.

Faragonda raised her eyebrows, surprised at the tone the Princess was using to address her, and the team went silent for a second, tensing. It seemed she already made up her mind about Mrs. Faragonda's actions, and struggled to keep her doubts to herself.

But their headmistress answered as if nothing was wrong, probably thinking that the battle and the fear of losing a friend was what made the Fairy of the Shining Sun angry. "No, but it would be foolish of her. She knows we're expecting her now. We'll be on edge, and prepared to fight back."

Bloom saw on her friend's face that she didn't like that last bit. What the red head had said was resonating in her head. _Why was it their job ?_

The team started taking care of the people that had been hurt. Mrs. Faragonda was escorted to a place where she could rest ; using so much energy to get rid of Mandragora was too much for her, it seemed, and their headmistress quickly fell asleep once placed on a bed in the infirmary. Luckily, it was one place that still could be used, but most of the equipment and tools were too damaged to be used.

Bloom walked up to a fairy that had sat down, and seemed equally exhausted, placing her head in her heads.

"Thank you," said the red head as she sat down near the blonde.

The girl quickly raised her head, her eyes searching for the person who had just spoken. When they landed on the Princess, a familiar smirk appeared on her lips. "Why, you're most welcome my dear," she said mockingly.

"I saw you protect one of the fairy earlier," explained Bloom.

"Ah, yes, I have my heroic moments," admitted after a second of heavy silence the blonde. She looked around her, and the smile disappeared from her lips. "What are you and your little friends going to do about all that ?" She asked while gesturing to the damages done.

"We're going to rebuild it, one way or another. The professors have an idea, and we're going to test it out tomorrow, once everyone has regained their strength," she explained, as the girl next to her sighed.

They stayed like this for a long time, no words were exchanged, and one by one her friends came up to them, sitting down, and just relaxing. Until Riven and Musa arrived, the only two persons missing. Stella was the first to talk, and ask their new ally who really was the person that attacked.

"Well, your headmistress didn't lie, the name of that witch is Mandragora, and she was the sole Keeper of the Obsidian Circle. But this world is too dark, and even a being of darkness would fall prey to the temptations it puts in your head," he explained. "But, she was supposed to be banished in the Obsidian Dimension. And the thing is, you cannot get out of there on your own."

"So, what you're saying is she had help ?" Guessed the Prince.

"It's extremely likely. And not any kind of help : getting out of this damned Dimension requires a great deal of power. Very dark powers."

"Isn't there any other way ?" Inquired Tecna.

"There is key that exists," nodded the girl. "You could open the gates that lead to the Obsidian Dimension with it, but not get out. It's a one-way journey : you can get in, but you can't get out."

"Do you have any idea about who got that monster out ?" Asked Helia. The blonde girl thought about it for a moment.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure it were the Ancestral Witches," she said. "I do not know anyone else that would have this much power, especially in the Obsidian Dimension."

The news were a shock to all of them. Bloom, especially, suddenly felt numb. She looked at her exhausted friends, the injured students sitting in front of the infirmary, and the state of the school, only being able to think it was all her fault. She just brought the Ancestral Witches on them.

"The sun is setting guys," said Brandon. "I say we find a place to sleep, and worry about all that tomorrow."

They all nodded, and the Specialists bid their goodbyes as they climbed in their spaceship, to go back to Red Fountain, with some of the girls. Aisha and Tecna went into the library to collect what had survived, while Flora tried her best to help in the infirmary.

Bloom sighed, and got up too. The blonde girl took her arm, and furrowing her brows, teleported them into the red head's bedroom.

Once in it, she realized how tired she was, and her knees gave out, making her fall onto her bed.

Baltor resumed to his usual body, a disgusted look on his face. And she smirked. "Don't be like that, you were really cute," she said, before realizing who she was talking to.

The man just smirked, obviously not surprised by this snarky comment. He let himself fall on his own bed too, and the two just laid there, too tired to move. That's how she fell asleep.

For his part, he stayed awake for quite some time, his mind giving him no rest.

The moonlight made it possible for him to see the fairy. And just like last time, she had her back turned to him.

Baltor stayed there, listening for every breath she took.

_It would be so easy to kill her._

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this a good cliffhanger ? I'm not sure. I didn't really know how to go on, so I decided that stopping there would be enough.
> 
> I'm trying to complicate Baltor's character a little bit... Dunno if you noticed. Hope you did. Really do.


	5. The Three Ancestral Witches's Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter will please you, it wasn't easy to write it… too many events and emotions to put into words.

She woke up with a terrible feeling deep inside her guts.

Which wasn't logical.

Her friends were now by her side. She knew where to look, in order to find her parents. Everyone had agreed that Mrs. Faragonda's behavior was strange.

Still, as she slowly sat up in her bed, she couldn't help but feel endangered. She found her answer when she looked on her left.

Groaning, in sweat, was Baltor. And, judging by the pain written on his face, he was having one of the strongest nightmares she'd ever seen.

Unsure of what to do, and if he'd attack her if she ever woke him up, she transformed into her Enchantix form, and tried to appease him with a spell. He only relaxed for a second, before frowning his brows and arching his back again, his hands twisting in an unnatural way. The pain seemed to be back, and even stronger.

She bit her lower lip, trying to think, and fast.

And just like the day she found him in his cave on Andros, he started shivering. It was weak, but she saw it. So she attempted to cast a healing spell again. It worked.

And just like last time, he suddenly woke up, and stared at her with surprise. And anger.

A pure hatred was burning in his eyes, and _it scared her_.

Because it looked very much like he was about to attack her.

In a second, she was away from him, and ready to throw fireballs at him.

He just stared at her, breathing heavily. His eyes had trouble concentrating.

And then it was over. His eyes focused on the end of his bed, and he put his head in his hand, slowly calming his breath.

He sighed.

"What the _hell_ was that Baltor ?" She immediately asked, extinguishing her fireballs, but not quite ready to turn into her civilian form.

"Just a nightmare, don't worry for me," he joked, and winked.

It felt as if she was stabbed in her stomach, at his words, and the way he tried to downplay it. But she ignored it. Instead, she found strength in her anger, and fear. Because she knew when Baltor tried to lie, or hide something from her at this point. And he was acting way too happy after the pain he'd just been through.

"I don't worry for _you_ dumbass ! I'm worried for myself ! What was happening to you ? This cannot just be a nightmare !" Keeping her voice low was proving to be difficult.

She realized the mistake she'd made. She realized she let a monster live under her roof. A monster that could, in a snap of his fingers, kill her family, and herself when they all slept. A monster that tried to take over the Magic Dimension twice now. A monster that was involved in the destruction of her birth planet.

A monster that thought it was time for him to _smile_.

"Answer me," she ordered in a whisper.

Baltor had never been scared of the Winx, or the Specialists. Bloom never made an impression on him. He always thought of her as a strange little bug, who possessed too much magic for what she was worth. The fact that she defeated the Trix didn't impress him, and neither did the defeat of Lord Darkar. He could've erased them in a blink of an eye, without even using all his powers.

To think those fairies had needed all the help possible was laughable to him, really.

But now, staring into her deep blue eyes, two pits of cold fire that just asked to be released, he realized that he, too, had underestimated the person who owned this bedroom.

"What do you want me to say ? It was _just_ a nightmare," he said, a little harsher this time, hoping she would backdown.

Which, obviously, would not happen.

"Groaning in your sleep, why not. Sweating if you had a terrible nightmare ? Okay, I'd buy it. But you don't wake up and want to kill the person in front of you !"

"I was still in my dream," he tried.

She squinted her eyes, and slowly shook her head. "Do you think I'm an idiot ?"

He simply stared at her, a weak smirk coming onto his face.

It made her see how tired he was : the bags under his eyes were enormous, and sweat was still rolling down his forehead. His eyes were red, and his lips were cracked, like he hadn't drank water for days. And he was still shivering. There was only one time where she had been that way.

One she had been trying to forget for a long time now.

Her eyes widened, and she took a step back.

"The Three Witches… they're trying to control you, is that it ?" Her lips trembled while she said that, and she only needed to see his own eyes go big to understand she was right.

"What are you-"

"Do _not_ think I'm an idiot !" She practically screamed, while he winced. Now she didn't care if her parents heard her. He was putting them all in danger. And if the Witches could reach him here, that meant they also knew where to look to annihilate her, and her family. "Now, you're going to tell me the truth, or the deal we agreed to is _off_!"

He took a sharp breath in, and closed his eyes.

"Yes, you're right," he admitted, and she stilled. "They're trying to gain control of my body, and lock me in my demon form. I'd be a prisoner in my own mind, and they would do as they wish with me. They'd control my every move, and torture me while making me watch everything I did."

It did not take her long to figure out what needed to be done.

"Get out," she said, and she hoped her eyes looked as cold as she wanted them to.

He looked at her, and this time, it was not anger, fear, or a mocking expression she saw on her face. It was betrayal. And it angered. How _dare_ he feel betrayed after what he did ?!

"No, Bloom, you don't understand..." he first tried. But this time, it would not work.

"No, _you_ don't understand ! I let you in, near my parents, and you now reveal to me those demons still try to take control of you ? That, if you lose control, you'd kill them, and me, and maybe my friends ? Or you would go back to do their bidding ?" She asked coldly, looking down on him. "I think I perfectly understand the situation here."

His eyes were wide opened, and it took everything in herself to actually say what she wanted to say.

"I never want to see you again. The deal's off," she announced. "You may go now, but if I ever see you again, know that I won't be so merciful."

He got up from his bed, and didn't spare her a glance. At first, she thought he'd try to fight her, and make her regret her words. She saw him magically change in his normal attire, and prepared herself. This was a battle she would not lose.

He made two steps towards her, very slowly. His head was bowed, as if he wanted to prove he had no ill intentions.

She didn't understand, so she prepared herself. Maybe the anger of their discussion had let the Witches gain control of his body, and they'd try to kill her.

He conjured a sword. A beautiful, and very ancient sword. He looked at it for a second, while she opened her mouth as she prepared herself to voice a spell, while he turned to look at her, a determined look on his face.

She was about to attack him, when he put one knee on the ground, soon followed by the other. She stopped herself, as he put the sword in his laps, and looked down at her feet.

At first, her mind refused to understand what was happening, but then it hit her and she collided in the wall behind her, as her arms fell to her side, and her knees suddenly felt weak.

"I know I did terrible things," he started, still looking at the ground, "and committed unforgivable sins. I know I am unworthy of having a normal life, without living through the consequences of my actions. I know how generous of you this offer is, and you prove to me, each and every day spent in your presence, that my quest for power is useless. My quest doesn't lead me anywhere," he admitted, as she widened her eyes, too surprised by the turn of events. It was unlike everything she'd ever seen from him. "This is the reason why I want to put my life in your hands," he revealed as he lifted his head a little, not quite meeting her eyes. "I am not a being capable of making choices of my own. I was not made for that. I am unable of making clear decisions on my own, for my own person. I am a creature of darkness, and chaos."

Her breath started picking up. This was surreal.

But she knew she couldn't act as if she was lost. Because he wasn't talking to her, little Fairy Bloom, but to the Princess of Domino, the rightful heir to the throne.

"But on this day forth, I promise to do your bidding, to obey your every order, and trust your judgement without questioning it," he said, picking up the sword. "I offer you my sword, the one with which I fought every battle in the name of the Three Ancestral Witches, as a promise to serve you eternally, until the day I die."

Seeing Baltor on his knees, staring at the ground, his head bent, and offering this sword, she wondered if she had judged him too quickly. He seemed like a broken man, lost, from another time. A person unable to see what was right, or what was wrong. Someone created and raised by monsters, to become one himself.

And she felt like his last hope. He was ready to give everything up, to serve her. Solely her.

So she put herself on her feet, and walked towards him. Well, she made two steps towards him.

Taking this sword would mean she openly said to the other realms she cleaned this man of all accusations and all the crimes he'd ever committed, which would not go well. Her own people would be against it. Andros, Solaria, Eraklyon and the Isis realms would be against it, because he attacked them directly. And that was without counting every realm he stole spells from.

He still had his head bent, but she decided she would take it.

Because it was typical of her.

He was trying to repent. And, maybe, a part of him deserved to be excused for all his past crimes, committed because he was controlled by powerful beings, or because he was after revenge against his imprisonment.

But a crash in her house made them both turn around toward her door. She immediately recognized the magic signature, and was, as usual, not surprised by the bad timing of her friend.

She didn't need to turn around to know that Baltor had made the sword disappear, and got up.

The door opened suddenly, and a beautiful fairy of the sun entered.

"Ready to go back to Alfea ?" She asked, a big smile on her face. Which quickly turned to concern when she saw Bloom was in her fairy form. Her eyes immediately fell onto the other blonde in the room, who scoffed and turned to look away. "A problem ?"

"No, don't worry Stel," Bloom said as she turned into her civilian attire. "I wasn't sure if you'd come back or if we'd need to go by ourselves." It was a good lie, she thought.

Maybe she spent too much time with Baltor.

"Of _course_ I would come back, you know me girl !"

And that's because she knew her that her lie made sense, thought the Dragon Fire Fairy. But she didn't say it out loud, and the Princess of Solaria teleported them in front of the school. Without Baltor, as they couldn't risk him being too much near Miss Faragonda, or any fairy for that matter. If anyone recognized him, it could be the end for them all.

They were lucky no one had spot him yesterday. In the midst of the battle, and all the dark energy coming from giant insects, his own magical signature had been undetectable. But now, with only him as a source of dark power, he would quickly be discovered.

She felt bad to leave him alone with her parents. Or rather, to leave her parents with him. Minutes ago the Witches were ready to gain control of his body, and now she left him unsupervised. And without any answer to his official surrender. He didn't even know she was about to accept. And that made her stomach turn.

She knew he was susceptible, and if his anger got the best of him…

Bloom decided she trusted him. He was ready to give up everything for her, and she was sure he would wait for an answer before acting out.

Stella poked her shoulder, to get her out of her thoughts. The red head smiled and walked towards the school, but didn't miss the glint in this eyes of her friend. She definitely knew something had happened before she arrived, and the fact she did not want to discuss it didn't seem to please her.

But she quickly forgot about it, as she took in the state of the school for a second time.

Her heart missed a beat, and she had to chase away some tears that threatened to fall. Again, she knew it was her fault, and no else was to blame for what happened.

In the corner of her eye, she saw freshmen, that came here to learn magic in a safe place, but she ruined it in less than three months.

"Bloom," said a familiar voice.

She turned around to face her headmistress, who seemed to have gotten a good night sleep. "Mrs. Faragonda," she politely answered.

"Come, we cannot cast the spell without you," let out the old fairy as she turned around.

Bloom frowned, and then felt her magic tingle. A smile formed itself on her face, and a little buzz of magic hit her in her chest. She laughed happily. "Lockette ! How are you ?"

"I'm great ! It's so good to see you !" Screamed the pixie with her high voice. "Quick ! Follow me !"

She flew away and Bloom realized most of her friends and professors were beginning to form a circle. Lockette waved at her, as did Stella, and she joined them.

Following the headmistress' directions, they all joined hands and concentrated on the spell they were about to cast.

The flow of magic was incredible. It was like a convergence, but so much more powerful. And she slowly _felt_ the school get back to life, being restored to what it originally was. And when she opened her eyes, and saw the school back to what it was, her hope and courage seemed to have been restored too !

She knew she would go to Obsidian, and free her parents, whatever the cost.

Her friends seemed to have agreed too, as they all nodded to her. Stella took out her phone, and called the Specialists, the Pixies already telling them where they'd find the key to enter the dark world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, do you understand the cliffhanger of the last chapter ? It was actually the Three Ancestral Witches taking control of Baltor's mind and trying to make him kill her, in her vulnerable state. And that's pretty much when he passed out to fight in his own mind (because he's not as weakened as in the end of season 3, although it's hard since all the magic he had to use).
> 
> For those wondering about a little detail : the Kingdom of Isis is the realm of Princess Diaspro. Yes, Diaspro is the Princess of Isis. There isn't much details on it though, but it's pretty important if her and Sky were engaged.
> 
> Maybe I'll do a chapter on Baltor's own emotions, if that's interesting… I don't know. Or a story where we can see his side of the story. If you're interested leave a comment, because I honestly don't know if that's what you want.


	6. The Tree Of Portals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you didn't think last chapter was too cliché… I feel like it was bad writing but, alas, I don't think I'll come back to write it all over again.

It had been a hard choice, but Bloom had decided it was better if Baltor stayed on the ship. Now that she knew the Ancestral Witches were trying to get him back under their control, and had chances of succeeding, she decided she would not let him leave her sight. So Stella helped her teleport in and out of her house to get him.

When the three appeared in the ship, she clearly saw neither the Specialists nor the Winx were thrilled to see him. And when he moved, everybody tensed, as if expecting him to already be up to some trouble. Which was likely.

Alas, she watched her friends as they flew away, to the Pixie Village, and sighed. Even thought it wasn't a dangerous mission, she felt bad, because her friends were the ones doing the dirty work. And if she didn't save anyone from her birth planet, her Enchantix would take years before being complete. And that thought made her feel so helpless, and angry at the same time.

No matter what happened, she would get rid of the Ancestral Witches, one day. They would learn that the royal family of Sparx never went down without a fight.

Deep in her thoughts, she went into one of the many rooms of the ship, and just sat down at a desk.

Baltor followed her, and sat down too, still making sure he kept his distance.

Somehow, she was surprised he hadn't said anything about her inability to enter the Tree of Portals. Teasing her was what he did best after all.

At first, she had planned to ignore him. She didn't know what to do with of his offer. It was all too confusing, and she didn't know if it was one of his tricks or not.

Watching him out of this corner of her eyes, she saw he had closed his eyes. He seemed peaceful, for once. It was actually a sight she'd never seen of him. He was always reading some of her books, teasing her, smirking, or talking about his theories about what had happened to Domino.

He never sat down and simply rested like he did right now, especially when she was there.

He might've thought she didn't notice, but she had. She knew he tensed the moment she set foot in the room as he. That he wasn't able to concentrate on what he was reading whenever she did something next to him. Or simply the fact that he didn't trust her to keep the end of the bargain.

She'd noticed he would always make sure she repeated the part where she would let him walk free, and be able to start a new life. But she didn't think he didn't believe her. It appeared as if he, himself, didn't believe he could live a normal life, once they cleared the mystery surrounding Sparx, and her parents.

It was actually the first time she thought about it, and felt some sympathy for him. Usually, she didn't care. She didn't want to start to feel anything other than pure hatred towards him. But his little show in the morning made her think twice about him.

Because, if he was honest, it meant she had been wrong about him. And she didn't like the doubt that had started creeping in. She wanted to hate him for his past actions. To resent him for what he had done to her friends. To want to annihilate him for all the times he lied to her. To be able to hurt him the same way he hurt her.

But she found she couldn't. It wasn't her. She would've never done that. Thinking she had killed him the first time had been terrible, because for the first time, she had taken the life of a man. Not a monster, created by darkness, like Lord Darkar had been. But a man, born from a dark part of the dragon's flame, and raised to do the bidding of evil. Thankfully, it had not taken long before she realized he was still alive, somewhere, and her guilt was replaced with anger, towards herself.

Because she realized she shouldn't have felt that way : it was obvious the Magical Dimension needed to get rid of him, one way or another. Otherwise, he would cause more trouble and destroy many lives, again. And she tried to convince herself, that his death was needed.

Still, when she was about to succeed, she let herself be wooed by his words. She should've known he was only using her parents' situation to gain a little more time, and there had been no indication he would keep his promise. But she accepted. She shook hands with the devil, and trusted him enough to let him near her parents. The more she thought about it, the weirder she thought this situation was.

She decided to blame it on their connection. Because she was more powerful, and he had less energy to hide himself from her, she could feel his determination, or his anger, if she focused on their link. It was still hard, but sometimes she wouldn't even have to think before knowing how he was, or what he felt. It was almost natural.

But now she couldn't help but doubt herself, her judgement, and suppose that, maybe, he was manipulating her. Because that's what he always did. That's what his life was. He was a monster, created by monsters and raised to be one. What could have possibly helped change his mind ? Let him see that the side of the light was the right path ?

He didn't hold her in very high standards either, so why would he offer his life ? And be ready to solely serve her ? It made no sense.

He opened an eye, and caught her staring at him. Immediately, she looked towards away, but knew she'd been spotted. She was only wishing he wouldn't call her out.

But as she heard his deep chuckle, she knew he wouldn't.

"Can't keep your eyes off me, dearest ?" He asked, one of his eyebrow raised.

She felt her cheeks turning red, and her eyes widened.

_Why was she even reacting that way ?_

But she controlled herself and huffed.

"Keep dreaming," was her only answer.

She heard him get up, and made a point not to look in his direction. But he made it impossible by putting himself before her.

"Have you thought about I've said ?" He asked, all tease gone. He was serious now.

She looked down.

Of course she hadn't. She tried to avoid thinking about it since it happened. It was too confusing.

"I need to know," he said, his eyes searching for hers.

And the way he put himself on his knees again, before her, in order to meet her eyes, made her feel something.

It was just like the day they had brushed their arms, on the staircases. As if something was ignited inside her.

She felt warm, and at peace.

She looked into his ocean eyes, as if it was the first time she truly saw him.

Because now she saw the man behind the attitude, behind the reputation. She saw how scared he was, and how much trust he was willing to put in her. It surprised her, but it felt good.

Dare she say, it felt right.

And she knew he felt it too, because she saw his eyes widening, for a second. She saw the way his eyes couldn't look away from hers.

There was something weird going on.

And she was about to answer, to clear the mystery. Tell him yes.

But, of course, a yell of victory interrupted them.

It got her out of her trance, and she immediately got out of the room to greet her friends back.

Stella held a golden key, and waved it around proudly as the Specialists laughed and clapped to celebrate their successful mission.

They were the perfect diversion.

A part of her felt bad for Baltor. She should answer him.

But she refused to acknowledge the guilt. She couldn't feel guilty, especially about him.

"Well then, are you all ready to go ?" Asked Timmy, already sitting and preparing himself for the next trip.

"Yes," answered Aisha. "There's no point in delaying this inevitable."

Bloom noticed Sky's eyes on her. She knew he wanted to say something to her, and it seemed important. But she honestly didn't have the time. She didn't to discover yet another problem, or burden. And if it wasn't about their current mission, it was useless to acknowledge it right now.

Their mission would soon be over anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter really is there to focus on Bloom's emotional reaction to what happened, and just make her realize what her point of view of Baltor is. Which isn't clear yet, but that's normal.


	7. Heigh-Ho, Heigh-Ho, Into A Trap We Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok big chapter coming through, I hope you'll like it because it took me so much time to write !

Of course Mandragora would be there. _Of course_.

Bloom had wanted to slap herself when the insect woman had appeared. They should've expected it ! This cursed being was _working_ for their enemies, she attacked their whole squad, but _still_ , they forgot about her.

But Riven's betrayal had been a real surprise. That was something she didn't expect anymore. But, of course, he'd always been ready to fight for evil forces, ever since the day she met him.

When he struck Musa, it felt like her heart broke into a billion of little pieces. But she had no way of going back. Although, she knew at that point something was terribly wrong with the Specialist. Because, even if he had wished to turn their back on them, he wouldn't have hurt Musa. He had loved her at one point, and he may try to come across as cold and uncaring, but they all knew, deep down, he had a heart of gold. He just didn't know how to show it.

The rest of the Winx had already went through the portal when all of this happened. And it was too late to go back. She and Baltor needed to get inside, now. But she couldn't bring herself to : her eyes were strained on Musa's lifeless form.

She felt the wizard grab her wrist, and force her to enter the passage, before being killed by the Portal's defenses. It felt warm, and nice, just as Aisha told them, but inside she was cold and desperate. And she hated this sensation. It was too much at once, and she couldn't process what was happening around her clearly.

But Baltor's hand on her wrist was a sensation she clinged onto. She knew it was real, and the safest thing for her right now.

So when she felt him lose his grip, she panicked. She suddenly felt so alone and powerless it was almost unbearable. But she soon felt his hand again, stronger this time. She wasn't about to protest against that, because she knew he didn't want to risk losing her for good. At least that's what she wanted.

When they got through the other side, she had to shake her head to get rid of the odd sensation. And then she got angry.

She knew it was because of the Dimension, that it was so dark she needed to understand this was not the way _she_ felt, but it was hard. And the image of Riven striking Musa with his sword was still clear in her head, and she couldn't get it out.

So, in an irrational moment, she tried to get rid of his hand on her wrist to fly back the way they came, but he wouldn't let go. Still, she began hitting the wall and inspecting it, hoping to see something, anything that could help her get back to her friend.

"Why ?!" She screamed as she turned to look at him. "Why did you force me to enter this dimension ?! I still had a chance to-"

"No, you didn't, and you know that," he said, in a very cold manner. "And why would you have done that anyway ?" He asked, looking straight into her eyes.

She looked at him with disbelief, before frowning.

"What are you talking about ? They were being _attacked_ ! We need to help them !"

"Do we, now ?"

And the Baltor she thought she'd never see again, was back. His usual smirk was back on his face, with a glint of cruelty shining in his eyes. And he looked at her like she was only a prey to him. Something to play with.

Upon realizing that, she immediately tried to fight against the hand that held her wrist, but the blonde wouldn't let go. Panic started rising within her, and she felt tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

This was not good. This dimension was too powerful. Her effects on her were devastating.

"What Bloom ? Why are you fighting me all of a sudden ?" He asked, trying to look as innocent as he could.

She didn't bother answering, and instead, started firing at him.

That got him to step back, but he kept smiling.

It reminded her of Tides, the second time she ever saw him, and the moment he had introduced himself. Back then, she knew he was more powerful than her, and this had only been a game to him. Something he proved when, not a second after sparing her, he blinded her friend.

But just as she did that other day, she decided to fight. Because now, she had a chance at actually besting him. So she prepared another spell.

"Don't force my hand Baltor. I don't want to kill you," she stated.

What she just said was true, and that was the worst part.

She really didn't want to kill him, because minutes ago, she really thought she could trust him. Put her faith in him. Maybe accept his new offer. But now she knew, he'd just fooled her.

And it _hurt_. Her heart ached, and she had to put her hand on her chest to make sure she wasn't bleeding. Because it _hurt_ so much.

She felt tears starting to form in the corner of her eyes.

"Yes, do you realize the mistake you've made ?" He was delighted. It pleased him to no end to know he fooled her, and made her lead all of her friends in this trap.

"I thought you wanted to make amends ? Did you lie, once again ?" She asked, despair growing inside her.

It was like her worst fear had come true.

She thought she could trust Baltor, but it seemed she'd been mistaken. Extremely so.

All he did was play an act. He made her believe he needed her help. And she had bought it. _Again_.

"You truly thought I would put my fate into your _hands_ ?"

He spat the last word, and it made her feel incredibly stupid.

Because she really thought he would. And, based on everything she knew about him, it was evident he'd been lying. If he didn't want to work for the Ancestral Witches, why would he work for her ? That made no sense. He wouldn't exchange a life of servitude, for the exact same thing.

She'd been stupid. So stupid.

Her whole body shook from anger. Directed at him, for betraying her. But also at her, because she'd really been naïve, and she should've known better.

She wanted to find her parents, and maybe the whole Kingdom. She wanted to save them all. But she wasn't even capable to watch her own back.

And now that she looked around, she saw that her friends were nowhere to be seen.

Her heart started pounding, and she thought she might pass out. Black dots started appearing in her line of visions, and her legs felt heavy.

She was stuck, with her worst enemy, in an evil dimension, and her friends were all _gone_.

Maybe this was the end. She'd ran out of luck.

"You were never capable of anything," he said. "You couldn't defeat the Trix on your own, you let Lord Darkar use you because you blindly trusted your professor, and now, all your friends are going to die because you blindly trusted your worst enemy."

And at these words, her heart skipped a beat.

She looks straight in his eyes, and she saw him raise one of his eyebrows curiously.

"How do you know I trusted my professor ?" She asks.

Nobody knew. _Nobody_. Except Lord Darkar. And her friends. Which would have never told him anything.

Even the Trix didn't know what the role of the clone had been. She'd heard them muttering about him being some kind of boyfriend of hers, because they thought he looked hot. The phoenix had told no one, because he didn't want the cover to be blown up.

Lord Darkar had been destroyed. Or, at the very least, cursed and condemned to stay in Realix. He had no way of coming back. The portal had been closed. So how would he have told Baltor ?

Closing her eyes, she focused on trying to find Baltor's flame.

Sure enough, the energy wasn't coming from the person standing before her.

It seemed Baltor, or whatever it was before her, knew the mistake they'd just made.

A frown appeared on their faces.

She simply stared, ready to defend herself in case the thing before her decided to attack.

Instead, it laughed. And before she could ask more questions, he slowly started to fade away.

She just watched, and when she was certain he was completely gone, she settled on finding her friends, and the real Baltor. It didn't take long to find him., all she had to do was follow the light she perceived.

She saw him with crossed legs, and his head down. Sometimes, his shoulders would move.

She tried to speak out his name.

Immediately, he turned toward her, and put himself on his feet.

"Bloom !" He simply said, before rushing towards her. And hugging her.

 _Hugging_ her.

She froze, and it took all her self-control not to attack. Instead, she put a hand on his back, and stayed like that, not daring to move.

The hug ended soon enough, and he took two steps back.

And the cold of the dimension hit her.

She hadn't noticed it before, because of her fight with the… _thing_ , but the air around them was really cold. Even she could feel it.

It was dead. There was no wind, no noises except their breathing.

"Have you seen the others ?" She asked him.

He shook his head, and all she could do was sigh.

"I guess we can always… _visit_ this place," she said.

She started walking, and he followed.

He seemed oddly quiet.

Usually, he had something to say, some sarcastic remark, or tried to find a flaw in what she said or how she acted.

"Are you…"

… _okay ?_ Was what she wanted to ask, but as he turned his head towards her, she found she couldn't say the last word.

Did she care ? She never, once, asked him how he was feeling, or if he simply was okay. She just assumed, or ignored everything about him. And now, in the middle of the most dangerous place she ever set foot in, she started caring for one of the worst people possible.

Maybe the dark energy was beginning to mess with her head. And she tried to convince herself it was the case.

A bright light caught her attention, and the question she wanted to ask him was forgotten. Baltor looked before her, and the way his whole body tensed, she could only assume the worst.

So she stole a glance, and her eyes widened, as she stopped breathing.

The Three Ancestral Witches. They were standing there. Against the Company of Light. Oritel, Marion, Hagen, Faragonda and Saladin.

She saw her parents fighting until all their energy left their body.

She watched Hagen get back.

She watched Faragonda, as she clasped her hands, and a bright light surrounded them all.

The red head had to shut her eyes, and groaned in pain.

And when she opened them, they had all disappeared.

The cold dimension features reappeared. Black stones, and a dark sky, where no light seemed to be able to survive.

But the most important thing she saw, was her friends, all laying on the ground, as if all magic had been taken from them.

She immediately rushed to their sides, and helped Flora get up.

It seemed they all had went through their most horrible fears. And the red head tried to avoid thinking about what that meant for her.

Her gaze was quickly captured by a blue light. At first, she thought it was some kind of magical, dark fire, as she had seen multiple times. But when she squinted her eyes, she realized her mistake : this was a sword. And she already knew it was the one Hagen had forged.

Bloom got closer, and her friends reluctantly followed, unsure about the whole situation. For all they knew, they had walked into a trap. Some of them turned back to look at Baltor, who flew behind them, his arms crossed. Obviously, he wasn't thrilled to be here either.

"And here I thought, _you_ , of all people, would like this place," said Stella, an eyebrow raised.

"Just because I'm specialized in the dark arts, doesn't mean I like cold and lifeless worlds," he answered, not once looking in their directions.

"Is there a problem ?" Asked Tecna, noticing the way he seemed to avoid their eyes.

"We're not alone," he simply stated.

Following his gaze, the four Winx realized what he'd been staring at : three big caverns, who seemed to have two eyes and a mouth, and where a red light seemed to be dancing on the surface. But just as they were about to ask the red head about it, a voice was heard.

"It's _not_ a statue you pathetic girl !"

"Don't you recognize him ?" Asked a second voice. "It's your _father_ , in stone and bones !"

Her laugh chilled them all to the core, but for Bloom, it was worse than everything.

"No ! Father !" Was all she could say, horrified at her discovery.

And the Ancestral Witches were obviously having the time of their lives, telling the Heir of Sparx all the atrocities they had committed all those years, while everyone thought they were dead.

But it wasn't enough. They had to _show_ the Winx.

They took control of some of the citizens, stuck in the stone, and started attacking.

At first, the Winx could fight back, but the girls quickly realized they weren't going to keep up for a very long time. One by one, they fell to the ground, and the only two people left were the Bloom and Baltor.

The wizard kept the Witches at bay : if the girls were completely drained of their power, he was the most powerful he'd ever been. But even that didn't compare to the power the Ancestresses had. And he knew it well.

His gaze fell on Bloom, hoping she had a plan, because the situation wasn't good at all. He wouldn't be able to protect the girls, and fight at the same time. And, even though Bloom seemed unaffected by the darkness of the Obsidian Dimension, he knew that she, too, would fall prey to it eventually. And he couldn't fight his Mothers on his own.

Once done with the Winx, they decided to tempt Bloom. To make her destroy the sword.

His heart began to beat faster, but he trusted her not to trust the Witches. He knew that, never in a billion years, would Bloom destroy something so precious.

And he smiled when she went against his Mothers, surprising them. It was a sight he'd never seen, something he had never dared to do, but she did it without thinking about it twice.

But when they showed a picture of Mike and Vanessa on the couch, and threatened Bloom to kill them, his whole body felt cold, and he saw in her eyes that she had the same thoughts as he. That she didn't know what to do, because those two earthlings _couldn't_ die.

And then he smiled ; he knew deceit. He knew what this spell was. So he just caught the gaze of the red head, and shook his head.

"It's just something they made up dear," he stated calmly.

When the Three Ancestral Witches turned to him, he wondered about what his next move would be.

Maybe he should go back to them, to do their bidding. Even though he'd never been free, all this time by their side had been good. He had enjoyed spreading chaos.

But he wanted something else now. Something calm, and quiet. He didn't want to be the bad guy anymore, and he would do whatever it took to never get back to that.

So he stood his ground, staring into the ocean blue eyes of the fairy before him, who nodded, and smiled.

"Well, seems like your _student_ has learned well by your side," she laughed.

It was delightful to see her mean side, he thought.

"Well, well, well, who do we have here ?" Asked Belladona.

"Wouldn't it be our dear _son_? The traitor ?" Said Lysslis.

"How dare you turn your back on us, after all we did for you ?" Screamed an angry Tharma, ready to attack him. But Belladona raised a hand, and stopped her sister.

"You've been a very naughty boy, Baltor," she started, her voice so sweet it terrified him. "I don't think having free-will is good for you."

Involuntarily, he took a step back.

Bloom looked as if she was panicking behind the Ancestresses, but the Three Witches payed her no mind. All they did was stare at him.

And the red head saw him fall to the ground. Lifeless.

She screamed his name, and tried to get to him, but the Witches wouldn't allow her.

"Now, little girl, you didn't think you could trust a _demon_ like him ?" They laughed.

"He's not a demon !" She immediately said.

"No ? He destroyed your kingdom, and lied to you so many times… How do you know he didn't plan on betraying you ?" Curiously asked Belladona, while her sisters snickered at her.

"I don't have to explain that to _you_ !"

"Ooh, the little fairy is showing her teeth," purred Lysslis.

"Maybe we should clip her wings, _that_ would teach her a lesson !" Angrily but seriously suggested Tharma, already rubbing her hands together.

Bloom ignored their remarks. Their comments were not something she particularly cared about, especially when she saw the wizard convulsing and groan from where she stood. She readied herself for battle.

"Stop trying to mess with him !" She ordered, seeing Baltor take on his demon form.

"But it's so _funny_ ," said Tharma. "And, you have to remember we are his _mothers_ , which means he _has_ to obey us."

"No he doesn't you sick-"

She was interrupted by Baltor's attack. Toward her.

She ducked quickly, but lost balance and fell to the ground. The Witches laughed, but she didn't care. All she saw, right in that moment, was Baltor's demon form, a wicked smile on his face, and the way he raised his hand again to attack.

"Wait pet !" Said Belladona. "We _need_ her."

He relaxed, but did not lower his hand.

"As you can see, my dear, I think you're way too good with everyone around you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To write all this fic, I had to watch the movie multiple times, obviously. And, you know, in the vision Bloom has, of the Company of Light fighting The Three Ancestral Witches, Faragonda looks as old as she is in the series. Like, Hagen tells Faragonda, just when the Winx are about to go to the Tree Of Portals, that they are about the same age of them when they fought against the Three Ancestral Witches.
> 
> So that means Hagen and Faragonda, at least, were 18/19 when they fought against the Ancestral Witches. I guess Griffin too. But officially, Faragonda is like a hundred years old. Anyway.
> 
> The weird thing is, Paladin (the guy who leads Red Fountain) looks just like Avalon in the same vision. I guess they wanted to make him look like Helia but… He just has the same hair and attire as Avalon.
> 
> Anyway… You all see the end coming ?
> 
> This chapter was a pain in the ass, and I'm not satisfied at all with the writing. I'm gonna get back to it, but at the same time I have so many things to do at home it's… urgh !
> 
> So I hope you enjoyed this chapter, leave a comment so I know if you liked it or not and… well, see you soon (I feel like some kind of Youtuber ^^').


	8. Not Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t know what to think of season 8 trailer ? The return of Baltor and all…  
> But I’m happy they took a “real” villain, because apart from the Dark Circle, Darkar and the Trix, I never found the villains interesting (saying this when I stopped at season 5… ah-hum !). But, as someone pointed out in the comments… I hope his associate lumix won’t make him look stupid.  
> Anyway…  
> SORRY if you waited for this chapter, I didn’t have Internet for three weeks and it was ready all this time.  
> So… Hope you enjoy it.

“So, what will you do, Princess ?” Mockingly asked Tharma.

Bloom fell to her knees.

And the Witches laughed.

But she paid it no mind. All she cared about was Baltor, in front of her, and his evil smirk.

“Why ?” She asked, knowing perfectly well that she looked weaker than ever before. She watched as he threw his head back, and laughed, along his mothers, as if she had told him the funniest story he’d ever heard in his life.

And maybe to him, it was a joke. A pitiful, naïve joke. Because she fell in his trap, yet again.

This must’ve been delightful for him.

“Why Bloom ?” He asked, baring his teeth. “I think you know the answer.”

And she did.

She knew Baltor only obeyed the Ancestral Witches. But she decided to play with fire, and now, she was getting burned.

“I thought…”

“Well you thought wrong, _dear_ ,” he spat. “What ? You expected _me_ to become _your_ puppet ? Don’t get your hopes up, I would _never_ work with someone like. Let alone, _for_ you,” he said, acting cocky and raising an eyebrow.

Her knees were weak.

“So, Princess,” said Belladonna, coming closer to the red head. “We give you a simple choice, either you destroy the sword… or we destroy you, and your friends, and everyone you ever cared about !”

The sisters snickered, and Bloom fell to her knees.

She saw the tears fall to the ground, more than she felt them slide down her cheeks.

It wasn’t what she expected from this place. She thought it would be hard to fight the Ancestral Witches, but not that hard.

She should’ve known the Trix, Lord Darkar or Baltor were _nothing_ in comparison.

She didn’t even have a complete Enchantix, but still, she believed she was enough to save the entire realm of Domino. Because she had the power of the Dragon Flame, and it went to her head.

And why was she even putting up a fight ? Why was she here ? She didn’t know her parents, or her people, or her birth planet. Daphne was cursed, and there was almost no hope of getting her back. The closest thing she encountered to a citizen of Domino was Baltor, and it wasn’t a very good example.

And maybe, there were more people like him, stuck in this terrible place.

She didn’t know what she would unleash if she ever saved them all. Time had passed, so what would happen when of these people would come back to life. Would they even be able to go back to their normal life ? Or were they already too far gone, having suffered the dark energy of this realm for too long ?

“The clock’s ticking Princess,” warned Lysslis, her arms crossed.

She was all alone.

Looking up, she saw Baltor had still his eyebrow raised, and his cocky smirk. His hand was still raised, too.

If she dared to do something the Witches didn’t like, he’d strike. And she wouldn’t be able to dodge.

She was alone, now.

“It would be so easy Bloom, to take that sword and destroy it,” said Belladonna.

Hearing her name spoken by the Witch gave her chills, but she tried to ignore that fact.

“The man who forged it told me only a truly pure hearted King could hold the sword,” she stated, despair filling her voice.

“Then perhaps, _I_ should take care of it,” said a voice from behind her.

She gasped, and turned around, only to see a blue cape and blonde hair.

“Sky, you made it !” She exclaimed, his words not quite reaching her.

The Witches started following him, and turned around him, as he stood before the sword.

Looking at Baltor, she was surprised to see his previous expression gone. Instead, he now looked angrier than he’d ever been, and stared at Sky. But his hand was still ready to shoot her. So she decided to lay low, and figure out what her boyfriend’s plan was.

Which turned out to be pretty catastrophic.

She tried to scream, to get him to stop. But of course, he didn’t listen.

And for one moment, she thought it would be okay.

She saw him admiring the sword, taking its beauty in. And a small smile started to form on her lips.

But then she heard his groans, and saw him fall.

“Sky, no !”

But it was too late. He’d fallen, and the sword was now out of his hands.

“What a fool !” Laughed Tharma.

“The sword Bloom… It killed the man you love, all the more reason to destroy it !” Said Belladonna, ignoring her sister’s comment.

“My friends… Sky…” and she wouldn’t say it out loud, but the look she gave Baltor was enough on its own.

She was alone. And she couldn’t do it on her own.

“Bloom, you’re not alone,” said a very familiar voice in her head.

“Daphne !” She gasped, her eyes widening as she let the mask put himself on her face.

And she felt her, her sister. She was with her now, ready to fight at her side.

It felt like a convergence, but ten times stronger and… better. It felt natural. She didn’t have to concentrate on matching her powers, because it seemed they were the same.

“Daphne !” Seethed Lysslis. “They say you only die once, but in your case we’ll be happy to make an exception !”

She laughed madly.

And Bloom, regaining sense of herself, wondered if they spent all her time like this. Screaming, and then laughing. They must’ve gone mad, stuck on this realm.

“You thought you destroyed the power of Sparx, now it destroys you !” She screamed, already feeling victorious. “Let’s do it Daphne !”

“Together !” Came the immediate answer, as they fired at the Witches who ducked quickly.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw Baltor ready to fire, and Daphne’s reaction was instantaneous.

She felt her whole body move without her accord.

Her arms were raised before she could stop them.

And she fired.

“No !” Came the strangled scream from Bloom.

But it was too late.

“He was already too far gone Bloom… We need to focus.”

She saw the demon fall to his knees, a hole inside his chest fuming.

She saw him smile. He winked at her.

And then he fell forward, his face hitting the ground hard.

Her breath was stuck in her throat, and she knew tears were forming.

She heard the Witches cruel laugh.

“Bloom !” Interrupted her sister.

The red haired girl realized that something was closing in on her throat, hard.

And then Mandragora’s face was in front of her.

She’d let her guard down for too long.

“Just in time Mandragora !” Praised Belladonna. “Let me give you a hand.”

“No, please no,” came Bloom’s pathetic pleas.

“You thought you could defeat the powers of ultimate darkness ?!” Angrily yet gleefully asked the Witches and Mandragora, as they merged to be only one being. “Instead, you doomed everyone you loved to the infinite cr- argh !”

At first the red hair didn’t understand, but then she saw the blonde, perfect hair, and the blue cape.

But most importantly, the sword, cutting right through the Witches’ body.

And she knew it was her shot.

So she fired, at the same time Daphne did.

And then everything was white, and calm.

When she opened her eyes again, she met Sky’s happy blue orbs with her own, only it did not hold the same emotion.

She turned her back to him, and ignored his hand on her shoulder.

Instead, she focused on her realm.

For the first time, she saw Sparx’s grass, birds and animals.

But she also saw her parents. Her father freed her mother, and her sister threw herself in their arms.

It was touching, and she let herself participate. But she didn’t utter a word, and waited until everyone was deep in their conversation to actually leave.

She didn’t have to go very far to find what she was looking for. It was only some miles away, and she covered them pretty quickly.

It did not even cross her mind that, maybe, her Enchantix was complete. She didn’t care at all.

When she saw what she was looking for, she couldn’t help but go back to her usual attire. She felt wrong in her blue dress.

She took her time, as she walked up to Baltor’s corpse.

Somehow, she’d hoped he wouldn’t be there, giving her some sense of hope he was still somewhere, out there. But even when concentrating, she couldn’t feel this other part of herself she’d come to like. This darker part, that made her feel nothing negative anymore.

Slowly, and using magic, she made him lay on his back.

It was weird, seeing him in his demon form.

He still wore his happy smile, and his eyes were now closed.

He looked like he was having a very good dream.

The tears fell on the ground before she could stop them, and she stayed like that for a long time.

She wanted to morn, to say goodbye. She wanted a chance to explain, to apologize and to scream, to tell him this whole situation was so _unfair_. She’d thought he wanted to start anew, to be someone else, but in the end, he’d just played with her. But for the last time.

Wiping off her tears with the back of her hand, she slowly stood up.

“Goodbye, Baltor.”

And really, there was nothing more to say.

 

* * *

 

 

He groaned, and felt the cold air around him.

_Not again. No._

Getting up, he looked around him.

All he saw was darkness.

Anxiety, stress, fear… Name any bad feeling, he was sure to be feeling it in the moment.

This wasn’t how it was meant to be, they weren’t meant to take control of his body, or use it against him, and most of all, against **her**.

He knew his Mothers were aware of how wrong this felt to him, and he felt their joy as his heart broke, seeing the red head face.

He knew all resistance was futile : the Three Ancestral Witches had locked him inside his mind, and there was no way out for him, until they were either out of the Obsidian Dimension, or dead. So he had to wait, and trust Bloom.

What a mistake.

Still, he’d smile.

He was finally free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.  
>  So, did you like it ?  
> I really love this pairing, and the world of Winx Club is just so rich…   
> Anyway, see ya’ll later… hum-hum…


	9. Kindness is not a weakness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHAH ! I am BACK ! And with the BIGGEST chapter from this all fanfiction ! Usually a chapter is like 4 or 5 pages… this one contains 15 pages. Oh yeah baby. I thought I wasn’t inspired, but turns out it may be my favorite chapter.  
> If there any mistakes, grammar or anything, PLEASE tell me. It’s one of the longest chapters I’ve ever written and it’s very difficult for me to make sure everything is correct. I’d really appreciate it.  
> But anyway, there is still two chapters to come !  
> After all, we need to know what Faragonda really is… an ally… an enemy… what is she ?  
> I also thought about making a sequel, where Baltor would’ve lived but… it didn’t go with the story I had in mind, because I didn’t want to change too much of the original story… and as much as I dislike him, I didn’t want Sky to die. Because he’ll be useful in my future story.  
> So, here’s an alternate ending, where, you guessed it, Baltor survived. Because I wanted to explore both options, before posting the very last chapter, that would wrap up the story behind Faragonda and her actions. So, here. I’ll post the next chapter next week, I hope (if I finished it), and the bonus chapter will follow quickly (I’ll just need to make sure there isn’t something I got wrong with it).  
> I feel like the Bloom in this chapter is the Bloom we see on the official show. Good hearted, pure, trusting… I hope it’s not gonna make you cringe, for those who don’t like the “official” version of her. But I liked writing her like that, while listening to Rise by Katy Perry…  
> Anyway, enjoy your reading.

"So, what will you do, Princess ?" Mockingly asked Tharma.

Bloom fell to her knees.

And the Witches laughed.

But she paid it no mind. All she cared about was Baltor, in front of her, and his evil smirk.

"Why ?" She asked, knowing perfectly well that she looked weaker than ever before. She watched as he threw his head back, and laughed, along his mothers, as if she had told him the funniest story he'd ever heard in his life.

And maybe to him, it was a joke. A pitiful, naïve joke. Because she fell in his trap, yet again.

This must've been delightful for him.

"Why Bloom ?" He asked, baring his teeth. "I think you know the answer."

And she did.

She knew Baltor only obeyed the Ancestral Witches. But she decided to play with fire, and now, she was getting burnt.

"I thought…"

"Well you thought wrong, dear," he spat. "What ? You expected me to become your puppet ? Don't get your hopes up, I would never work with someone like. Let alone, for you," he said, acting cocky and raising an eyebrow.

Her knees were weak.

"So, Princess," said Belladonna, coming closer to the red head. "We give you a simple choice, either you destroy the sword… or we destroy you, and your friends, and everyone you ever cared about !"

The sisters snickered, and Bloom fell to her knees.

She saw the tears fall to the ground, more than she felt them slide down her cheeks.

It wasn't what she expected from this place. She thought it would be hard to fight the Ancestral Witches, but not that hard.

She should've known the Trix, Lord Darkar or Baltor were nothing in comparison.

She didn't even have a complete Enchantix, but still, she believed she was enough to save the entire realm of Domino. Because she had the power of the Dragon Flame, and it went to her head.

And why was she even putting up a fight ? Why was she here ? She didn't know her parents, or her people, or her birth planet. Daphne was cursed, and there was almost no hope of getting her back. The closest thing she encountered to a citizen of Domino was Baltor, and it wasn't a very good example.

And maybe, there were more people like him, stuck in this terrible place.

She didn't know what she would unleash if she ever saved them all. Time had passed, so what would happen when these people would come back to life. Would they even be able to go back to their normal life ? Or were they already too far gone, having suffered the dark energy of this realm for too long ?

"The clock's ticking Princess," warned Lysslis, her arms crossed.

She was all alone.

Looking up, she saw Baltor had still his eyebrow raised, and his cocky smirk. His hand was still raised, too. And, looking into his eyes, she almost lost herself in them. Oh how the mighty had fallen.

If she dared to do something the Witches didn't like, he'd strike. And she wouldn't be able to dodge.

But she wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Her friends had fought until the very end for her. The Specialists were outside, fighting for all of them, until the end. And looking at her father, trapped in stone, she saw on his face that he, too, clearly, fought until the very end.

"It would be so easy Bloom, to take that sword and destroy it," said Belladonna.

Hearing her name spoken by the Witch gave her chills, but she tried to ignore that fact.

“Baltor.”

His creepy smile intensified, but she caught a glimpse of surprise, and anxiety, when she spoke his name out loud. Maybe because he heard the newly found confidence in her voice. Or maybe because he expected her to forget him, and focus on the sword instead.

She stood up slowly, her gaze never leaving his.

“Kindness, is not a weakness.”

He laughed along his mothers. She thanked the darkness of this cursed dimension, for not letting them see the blush that started to form on her face. She didn’t really know what she was doing. But she knew what she wished to achieve, and if she could get even the smallest reaction of his, it would be a victory for her.

Although she knew she was going to sound cheesy, and stupid, but she needed to say it. He needed to hear it.

“Your mothers say I’m too kind. My friends think I trusted you too easily. I guess a lot of people would think I’m just a naïve girl, who can’t see evil, even if it’s stood right before her.”

If her words reached him, he did his best to hide it. But the red head believed the smirk he now wore on his face was completely fake. It was too tight, and it was a good sign for her.

She started to walk to him.

“And maybe I give second chances to people who don’t deserve it. Perhaps I allow myself to trust other people too quickly. But, see, I don’t think I ever made a mistake when deciding to help you.”

His brows started to furrow, and she noticed that the Witches had stopped their cackling. They were still standing over her, and watched her every move, but it seemed they weren’t ready to interrupt her. It was fine by her.

“You did terrible things, and committed unforgivable sins,” she started, and saw something flash in his eyes. “You shouldn’t be able to live a normal life, unless you make up for your past actions.”

“If you want him to have an easier time killing you, keep going little one,” warned Lysslis, although it was clear she was confused as to why the Princess was trying to offend their puppet. But she ignored it.

“You are a creature of darkness, you evolve in chaos. You seek power, yet it does not make you feel better.”

The demon growled, and she stopped in her tracks. Not in fear, but because she was now facing him.

“You know what I’m going to ask, don’t you ?” She asked, her expression being softer.

“Fool !” Interrupted Tharma. “Stop playing with our son !”

But both keepers of the Dragon Flame ignored her.

“Kneel.”

The order was clear. Her voice did not crack. All she did was tense, prepared for her plan to fail.

The demon had no reaction, but his mothers did : they laughed maniacally, and were unable to stop.

“You- Oh my this is too good ! You really thought Baltor was going to answer to the likes of _you_?”

She shook her head, keeping her eyes on the only monster she wanted to see on her side.

“Kneel, promise to do my bidding, to obey every order I could ever give you, and to trust my judgement without questioning it.”

“Well, well, it seems you didn’t understand that our _pet_ cannot be stolen from us,” said Belladonna.

“Maybe we should make her understand… Dear son, attack her !”

He did none of that. Instead, he kept his eyes strained on the fairy before him, ignoring the commands shouted at him from above.

“Kneel.”

She repeated herself.

She wasn’t screaming, or enraged. She wasn’t trying to force him. If anything, it sounded more like a suggestion. Maybe that’s why it worked.

Why he did as ordered.

Slowly, and under her surprised gaze, he knelt. But his eyes never left hers.

She didn’t let any doubt ghost over her face.

“You offered me once, your sword, as a promise to serve me eternally, until the day you die.”

A growl escaped the lips of the beast, and she saw the internal struggle. The battle that went on in the mind of the Dark Wizard. He was trying to gain control of his body. And she wondered if that was what she’d looked like when she was under the control of Lord Darkar, when Sky had tried to reach her. And succeeded.

A sword appeared before her, floating in the air. She looked at it, and a sarcastic thought crossed her mind : why did everything revolve arout swords ? But, she let it go quickly. She needed to end all of this now.

Without wasting a minute like the last time, she took the sword in her hands, and placed the tip of it on his right shoulder, and then the left, like she’d seen in movies. Because she honestly had no idea how these things worked in Domino. She would have to do it the human way.

But an explosion broke the silence.

Screaming in rage, the demon flung himself at her, and she barely made it out of his way. She crashed into the ground, and realized t that she lost Baltor’s weapon in the process. Looking around, she spotted it behind the demon, who was breathing heavily, smoke coming out of his nostrils.

"What a fool !" Laughed Tharma.

Bloom prepared herself to talk back to the Witch, tired of being constantly degraded, when she realized they weren’t laughing at her. Looking at the source of their amusement, her whole body froze as she saw Sky, on the ground, unconscious. The sword of her father next to him.

“Oh Sky… why would you do that ?”

"The sword Bloom… It killed the man you love, all the more reason to destroy it !" Said Belladonna, ignoring her sister's comment.

Killed ? Sky was dead ? This thought was unbearable to her. It was impossible. Sky couldn’t die.

“Do it, and we’ll hold no grudges against you, for trying to coerce Baltor into your camp.”

She felt like this last sentence was the most absurd lie she’d ever heard, but at least this brought her mind back to what was happening. Immediately searching for the demon, she only had time to see something red coming her way.

“Pet stop !”

Once again, she thanked her Enchantix form, as she quickly dived out of the way.

“Baltor ! This is an order !” Screamed Tharma once again.

The situation was getting out of hand. Baltor was totally ignoring his mothers, and he kept his eyes on the fairy, never stopping attacking her. The Witches were enraged, but did not act against him, probably as to not harm him. Because they knew they needed his power.

It was when he started flying her way, and after her, once she decided to get away from him, that she decided she had to try something else. And quickly.

She made bee line towards the sword, left on the ground without no one guarding it. The Demon realized what she was trying to do, and fired at it. Bloom cursed, and flew to her left, but did not change her trajectory. Again, her enemy tried to stop her from reaching the weapon, but she was prepared, and simply turned around as she conjured a shield, letting it absorb the flames.

She then continued before landing, and picked up the sword.

She sighed, and then prepared herself as she now faced Baltor, still on the ground. He started to get dangerously close, when she screamed.

“I accept, Baltor !”

He looked at her with fury, but she didn’t let her fear get the best of her. Instead, she put the sword up in the air, forcing him to stop in his tracks, if he didn’t want it to pierce through his stomach. It was now her only line of defense, and she knew that if this failed, she would be in a bad position. She didn’t know how to yield a weapon, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she put that on her to-do list.

Seeing as Baltor didn’t react to her first statement, she repeated herself.

“I accept.”

The Demon laughed, and launched himself at her. Surprised, she let go of the sword, once again, to create a magical shield. She knew it was hopeless, but it was her only solution to protect herself against him. But before he could try and break her spell, he started screaming, and holding his head with both hands.

She immediately covered her ears, and clenched her eyes shut.

He started falling down, and crashed. The accumulated dust on the ground hid him for a moment, and she couldn’t see him. But she could still hear him, the despair and pain in his screams. It broke her heart, as she had no idea of what was happening.

And suddenly, all the lights went out. She looked around, but everything was silent, Baltor’s cries were only echoes in the distance. She wasn’t in Obsidian anymore. Maybe one of the Witches had stroke from behind, and she was dead ?

Looking around, she realized that a fire burnt under her. It took her some time to reach it, and the red head realized that what she thought was just some kind of lost campfire, was actually Baltor’s mark. A giant mark, and he stood in the middle of it. Smiling.

“Well, that was quite the fairy speech you gave me out there.”

She laughed, and she saw his smile intensifying. A happy smile, something she never thought she’d ever see on his face. It was so strange, but at the same time so right. She couldn’t stop herself from getting closer.

“Baltor… you…”

“You saved me, Bloom. You broke their hold on me.”

She prepared herself to ask him something, anything else, but a voice resonated in her head, and she was brutally pulled back into her body, and in Obsidian.

Blinking, and trying to regain her balance, she realized her sister’s mask covered her face, and that her hands were moving of their own accord.

“Bloom !”

So it was her sister that brought her back into the real world.

“Daphne…”

“Bloom, what happened ?! Is Baltor defeated ?”

“No he’s… he’s not a threat anymore.”

Daphne made a sound of disapproval, as she moved their head to make the red hair look into the sky. Sure enough, Baltor was there, still in his Demon form, besides the Three Ancestral Witches. And once more, he dived in, his palm opened, as if preparing himself to behead her.

But a spell shot from behind her made the beast lose his balance, and he crashed under the two fairy sisters. Looking back, a smile found itself forming on her face as she saw Baltor in all his fighting glory : gone was the jacket, the fancy suit, or his leather boots.

Instead, he wore a medieval attire : a light armor, who focused on protecting his chest, his back, his shoulders and arms, with a white tunic under it, leaving him able to perform any and every spell he needed. His boots also seemed to have been made of metal, but did not reach his knees. Only a dark red pant protected the rest of his legs.

Overall, it fitted just right, and left nothing to imagination.

He nodded to her, his usual smirk in place, and focused back on the demon, taking a defensive posture with his sword.

Turning back around to watch the Witches prepare themselves to attack her, she felt magic course through her veins. Daphne’s magic. It made her feel invincible, and she fired at the trio, who quickly dashed out of the way.

"You thought you destroyed the power of Sparx, now it destroys you !" She screamed, already feeling victorious. "Let's do it Daphne !"

"Together !" Came the immediate answer. The light of their power stood out in the scenery, and it gave the red head hope. They could win.

They would.

But as their power diminished, and the Witches continued to dodge their attacks and get closer, she found it harder to believe in that scenario.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw Baltor fight off the Demon : his sword cut through the air, and the Demon made two steps back, before falling on his back, eyes closed.

“Bloom !”

She didn’t know who shouted her name, too focused on something closing in on her throat. Choking her. Hard.

And then the insect witch face was in front of her.

She'd let her guard down, too lost in her thoughts.

"Just in time Mandragora !" Praised Belladonna. "Let me give you a hand."

"No, please no," came Bloom's angry pleas.

"You thought you could defeat the powers of ultimate darkness ?!" Angrily, yet gleefully, asked the Witches and Mandragora, as they merged to be only one being. "Instead, you doomed everyone you loved to the infinite cr- argh !"

At first the red hair didn't understand, but then she saw the blonde, perfect hair, and the blue cape.

But most importantly, the sword, cutting right through the Witches' body.

And she knew it was her shot.

Feeling the air return to her lungs, she breathed in deeply before firing with all her might.

And then everything was white, and calm.

After being stuck in darkness for so long, she felt her eyes burn, and tears form. She immediately closed them, and instead focused on the magic that came back into her. All the light and the positive vibes in the air, that she so dearly missed in Obsidian.

Opening back her eyes, she saw Sky smiling, standing before her. Alive.

She laughed and hugged him. They both felt that something was amiss, but ignored that fact.

They were _alive_. For once, they could let go of their problems and just focus on the fact that they succeeded in defeating evil. Once again.

Breaking the hug, she searched around for any clues as to where could’ve gone Baltor.

But light blocked her vision once again, and suddenly, everything was green, and blue around her. People were breathing, talking, _moving_. Animals were dancing, running and having fun for the first time in years. Looking up, she saw a myriad of birds, of all colors and all races, flying in a spiral in the sky, screaming their happiness to the whole world, before breaking their formation and going in their own direction.

A butterfly appeared in her vision, and she smiled like the never thought she’d ever would.

She did it. Her people were finally free, and the Three Ancestral Witches were past history. It was finally time for her to celebrate.

Looking around, she saw the Specialists and Musa come out of a portal, looking pretty exhausted but, overall, fine. The rest of the Winx were waking up, and looking around them in amazement. People went to them, to help them get up and ask what had happened.

She saw Sky leave her side, the sword in his hands. Following his gaze, she realized he was walking up to her father, who was checking himself out in disbelief. He looked around him, and immediately spotted the Prince. He straightened himself, and put his hands in his back. In that moment, she saw how prestigious he was, even after being stuck in stone for so many years.

When the blonde reached him, all he did was nod his head, and then delicately took the sword, watching it for a minute, before performing a spell. Light, again, appeared out of nowhere, and subsided to let her mother appear.

The couple fell into each other’s arms, and Bloom could’ve cried in happiness, if she hadn’t already let go of all the tears in her body while fighting the Ancestral Witches.

Daphne, who still was in her body, suddenly got out, and flew into her parents’ arms, as they welcomed her happily. Bloom almost lost her balance, but someone steadied her before it could happen.

“Well, shouldn’t you go to them too ?” Asked a very familiar voice from behind her.

She watched the family reunion with hesitation, before turning around, to find an exhausted, but still smiling, wizard.

“I’m just… waiting for the right moment.”

He made a comical noise, and she found she couldn’t keep her eyes off his.

“And I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be thrilled to see me with you.”

“Are you saying I should go away ?” He asked, acting hurt.

Turning around yet again, she saw that the King and Queen, along with their first child, were now staring at them. As did a lot of people around them actually.

Her gaze met those of her friends, who seemed as unsure as her of what was going to happen next. They slowly, but surely, started making their way towards her, ready to defend her. And it would seem, Baltor would receive the same treatment.

Focusing back onto her family, she saw that they had started to speak in hushed tones. But before she could ever try to listen to them, Oritel had turned around and was making his way towards her, his wife and daughter just behind him. Sky stood dumbfounded in the distance, but quickly shook his head and followed them suit.

“Baltor.”

It was all he said, and she felt mortified. He had not even acknowledge her presence.

“Father !” Interrupted her sister.

“What could be more important than apprehending him Daphne ! He’s responsible for your sister’s death, and the curse on our-“

“She’s alive Dad !”

The King stopped talking immediately, and looked at her as if she’d grown two heads.

“Dad, Mom… This is Bloom,” said the Nymph as she slowly gestured towards the red head.

The silence that fell upon them made Bloom unsure of what she should do. But her mother decided to make her way, slowly, towards her. She looked at the red head with a mix of sadness, anger and happiness.

“Bloom…” she murmured, before gently taking hold of her hands.

Tears started to fall on her perfect cheeks.

“My daughter.”

And then she found herself in a hug, that she immediately reciprocated. Burying her face in the crook of her mother’s neck, she inhaled her scent. It was like founding something she had lost long ago. And in a way, it was exactly what this reunion was.

The women let go of each other after a long time, and Bloom saw her father getting closer, opening his arms, and hugging her too. Her mother and sister joined this hug, and for the first time, Bloom felt _whole_. Her family, her friends, her planet… She did it.

When they separated, she couldn’t help but miss the contact.

But she also knew there was something bothering her family.

“Bloom, why is this traitor here ?” Asked her father, trying to contain his disdain toward the Dark Wizard.

She felt Baltor tense, and shot him a reassuring look.

“He helped us find you… Dad.”

“Helped… He’s a traitor, he serves those three damned witches !”

“Not anymore,” interrupted the fairy. “He now serves me.”

That put a stop to her father’s antics, but he still eyed the wizard with distrust.

“How can you be so sure ?”

“I trust him.”

In her father’s eyes, she saw how taken aback he was by this comment, but decided not to let it show.

“I will trust your judgement, for now.”

He retired, and called for the citizens. He led them back into the city, and she was left with Baltor, and her friends.

“So, how does it feel to have your full Enchantix powers ?” Asked the wizard, his eyes full of mischief.

“It’s… amazing ! I can feel everything around me, it’s so… natural and… amazing.”

She sighed, and looked at Sky. She squinted her eyes.

“You.”

She took him by surprise, as she saw his eyes widened.

“How could you be so dumb ! I thought you had died !”

He laughed when he understood she wasn’t seriously angry.

“I wanted to tell you, but it was never the right time… I’m King of Eraklyon, Bloom.”

Her breath was stuck in her throat.

“You’re…”

“Yes, and that’s why I was called on important matters for the past months. I wanted it to be a surprise, but never had the opportunity.”

She looked at him in disbelief, and watched as the Specialists fell on him, hitting him lightly and asking him why he never told them. The Winx laughed. And it seemed so strange for Baltor to be with them in this moment.

“Wait, wait ! I need to talk to her,” said Sky, pushing his friends away. “Alone.”

He looked at her in the eyes when he said that last word, and she understood this was going to be serious. So she nodded, and left Baltor on his own with on last glance towards him. She was still scared he, or her friends, would react badly.

But as she saw Stella lightly punch him in his shoulder without angering him, and then gesturing at his armor with that look in her eyes she only got when she started talking about fasion, she knew he was in good hands.

She walked some time with the King of Eraklyon, and they only stopped when they were out of hearing range.

“So, what did you want to talk about ?” She asked.

He ran his hand through his hair, and it seem he trying to come up with the right words.

“Listen I… I think we have to break up, Bloom.”

“Oh.”

It was like dropping a bomb. Except, this one didn’t really hurt. If anything, she was surprised by his bluntness.

“Look, I’ve thought about it and… I’ve seen the way you look at Baltor. The way you and him just… understand each other.”

“Sky, I’m not in love with Baltor.”

He let out an anxious laugh.

“Maybe not now, or maybe you can’t see it. But there’s a connection between you two, one we never had, and couldn’t possibly dream of ever have.”

“You’re talking about our powers ? The fact that they both come from a part of the Dragon’s Flame ?”

“Not just that Bloom… One day, you’ll see.”

She hummed, and looked towards her group of friends.

Musa and Riven were gone, probably to search for a doctor. Flora and Helia had found a little spot, and lied down.

Aisha had her arms crossed, looking at Stella and Baltor’s exchange. Brandon was standing very close to his girlfriend, but didn’t seem against her talking to the wizard. Tecna and Timmy were already analyzing everything around them.

“I think it’s for the best,” stated Sky.

She nodded.

“Yes, after all that’s happened anyway, I need to take a break.”

He looked away for a moment, and she started walking towards their group of friends, but he stopped her by putting his hand on her wrist. She looked at him, raising a curious eyebrow.

“It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends ok ? If you ever have a problem, you can talk to me.”

She smiled.

“Thank you Sky. You can count on me too.”

He sighed, visibly relaxed.

“Let’s go find the others, shall we ?”

He nodded.

Baltor seemed to have difficulties with dealing with Solaria’s heir, but still seemed to enjoy himself. He was the first to spot them, and Stella backed off, looking more serious now that her friend was back.

“We still need to discuss the problem that is Faragonda,” she stated.

The red head crossed her arms.

“I’m going to ask my parents if they remember anything.”

“Let’s just hope she hasn’t heard of our success yet,” said Aisha.

That was when Timmy and Tecna came back, with proud smiles on their faces.

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” said the Specialist.

“There’s no signal from this planet yet, so no one should realize that it has been revived.”

“But what if someone notices the climate changes ?” Asked Bloom.

“No one has been watching this planet for a long time. We all thought it was going to die soon,” coldly answered Aisha.

She seemed angry, and who wouldn’t understand her.

“Aisha…” started the red hair.

“No,” interrupted the other Princess while putting her hand in the air. “I need to adapt to this situation, and realize _he’s_ now a part of our group. It will take time, but I will. Don’t worry Bloom. I understand your decision, although it is hard for me.”

They all looked at her, taken aback by her speech. But the most surprised was the wizard himself. He opened his mouth, ready to answer to that, but she shook her head.

“I don’t want to hear what you have to say, Baltor. Not now, I’m not ready to accept any kind of apology. Let’s just enjoy this victory, and then take care of Miss Faragonda.”

They nodded, and gestured for Helia and Flora to come back. The two got up quickly, and the group got back in the castle, where they found Musa, who had passed out due to her injury, in an infirmary. Riven had fallen asleep holding her hand. They decided to rest, too.

Except for Bloom and Baltor. The two made their way to the throne, in order to find her parents, and ask her the question that had haunted her for a long period of time now.

She’d insisted for the Wizard to rest, but he said it was now his duty to make sure she was always alright. And whatever she said, he only shook his head and followed her. So she gave up.

She’d expected the throne room to be big, and massive. But she wasn’t prepared for it.

The giant doors were opened, and they walked up a red carpet, leading them to two thrones, occupied by the King and Queen. The seats were made of gold, and grandiose. Around them stood immense pillars, covered in little, golden decorations. There also were huge windows, each of them a portrait of someone. The only ones she recognized were those of her parents’, her sister’s, and hers. It felt weird to watch it, but right at the same time.

She realized Daphne was nowhere to be seen, but didn’t think more about it. She’d used a lot of her magic to help her, so she probably was back to the lake, and trying to rest as her friends did.

She continued to walk until she stood behind a crowd of nobles, if she judged by their clothes. It seemed they were happy, but asked for answers, as to what had happened to them. She couldn’t wait for them to have all their answers right now. Maybe it wasn’t fair to them, but she was the one who saved them. They could wait.

“Mom, Dad, I have to talk to you.”

The two stopped talking to their court, and looked at the pair. Maybe the seriousness in their gaze was enough to convince them, because they excused themselves, and led the two in another room quickly. They wasted no time, as the people started to talk about the red head, but most importantly, the man standing behind her. Some started recognizing him, and he got into the other room just in time.

It was big too, and a large table was at the center.

“It’s probably where they planned for war,” whispered Baltor in her ear.

She probably should be angry at him for reading her mind again, but the butterflies his breath on her ear brought in her stomach made her unable to formulate any kind of answer.

Was she in love with him ? It felt like what she had for Sky, but ten times stronger. The link between them was probably the cause of it. Or so she tried to make herself believe.

“So,” started her father as he sat down on a chair. “What is it you wanted to talk about ?”

Her mother sat down with grace in another chair.

“What do you remember of your last fight against the Witches ?”

The two rulers exchanged a look, before they both nodded.

“We stood against the Witches with the Company of Light behind us.”

“But something went wrong.”

“What exactly went wrong ?” Asked the Princess.

“I couldn’t tell you, dear… It was as if…”

Her father didn’t seem ready to finish that sentence. Baltor did it for him.

“As if someone had betrayed you ? Shot you from behind ? Sealed you in another dimension while letting the Witches take hold of you ?”

A flash of anger appeared on the King’s face, but Marion was quicker.

“Yes. How do you know ?”

It was the turn of both Dragon’s Flame keepers to exchange a look.

“We have reason to believe that Miss Faragonda has worked against you. To seal you in the dimension.”

“Well, it is true she was charged with sealing the portal… But why would she do that ?”

“We don’t know for sure, but she kept putting me, and my friends, in danger. She hid my real identity from me in the first year I was in Alfea, and never told me the whole truth about you two.”

“Faragonda was a dear friend of ours, what you’re saying could be taken as treason,” stated her father.

“And yet,” interrupted the wizard. “How would you explain what happened to you otherwise ?”

The Queen seemed lost in thought, but the King was not having it.

“I won’t let myself be lectured by some immoral wizard ! You may serve my daughter, but you’d do well to hold your tongue !”

“Darling, please calm down. What they’re saying could make sense.”

“You’re letting him play with your mind ?”

“No, I’m listening to _them_. And I believe they may be right. Otherwise, why has our plan failed to fantastically ?”

The King stayed quiet for a moment, and the Queen turned her head towards the duo.

“It is possible that one member of the Company of Light has betrayed us. We indeed felt something hit us in the back, but were too surprised to look back. By the time we came back to our senses, we were stuck in this cold and infernal dimension.”

“Did you recognize the magic ?” Asked Bloom, hopeful.

Oritel sighed and shook his head.

“In a fight like that, there is too much magic around you to even recognize if it is from your camp, or the other. We have no way of telling you. The only one that would remember, would be Miss Faragonda.”

“Which means we have to interrogate her, and fast.”

The King and Queen nodded, and stood up.

“I doubt anyone has seen that our planet is back to life, and I suppose you can take the time to rest. But you shouldn’t waste more time. We’ll come with you are ready.”

With that, both souverains got back into the throne room, leaving Bloom and Baltor by themselves.

“Well, it went better than expected.”

“My father resents you a lot more than my mother.”

“That would be because I always defeated him in battle,” explained Baltor with a cocky smirk.

Bloom pushed his shoulder.

Quick as a snake, his hand was on her wrist, and he pulled her towards him. His other found itself holding the small of her back.

She smiled, and let her free hand rest upon his shoulder. He released her other hand, not before giving it a light kiss, before putting his other arm around her. She just let the hand fall on his chest.

“So, what now ?” She asked.

He smiled.

“Now, we rest. We both need it. Then, we’re going to see what your headmistress has to say.”

“And then ?”

His eyes were full of mischief, and she felt adrenaline pump through her veins.

“My dear, I am not the one in command here.”

She laughed, and closed the distance between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… I did my best, but I’m really not good for dialogues and I’m kinda ashamed of how bad it is… I think I need to find some English books to read…  
> I truly hope you still enjoyed it.  
> Anyway, thank you for reading ! Comments are always appreciated, and I’ll see you guys in a week… Hopefully.


	10. Greedy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let’s pretend I was always supposed to publish this chapter this week. I just hope there are no typos, but feel free to comment or DM me.
> 
> Surprisingly, it’s not my biggest chapter, even though it really took me a while to write it.

_“I have made up my mind about you, and this trial has been going on for too long already. Your crimes have been left unpunished, but today that ends as you stand here before us, accused of conspiring against the Light Alliance, of conspiring against the Realm of Sparx, of betraying the Realm of Sparx, and of murder attempt against the Royal Family Bloodline.”_

_Her words were loud and clear as she spoke with as much assurance as she could muster, staring at Baltor, dead in the eyes. He looked as serious as her, for once. No smirk on his lips, no mischief in his eyes, no taunting words coming out of his mouth._

He looked strange, and out of place, standing on the red carpet. Two guards were at his sides, keeping a close watch. And, on either sides of the Wizard, sat the Winx, the Specialists, and the old members of the Company of Light, who had been called to testify to this trial.

They were the only ones with chairs, the rest of the people filling the room being Sparx citizens that came to see how it would all go down. Even though most of them didn’t know who this man was, they knew he had served the Three Ancestral Witches, therefor making him the only being responsible for their curse still alive. The only one that could still be apprehended.

The Magic Council had seen fit to let Sparx’s rulers to put an end to this story, and apply justice as they saw fit. A benediction, had thought the red head. Although she needed to be very careful now. Everything had to be clear, at the end of the day, otherwise her Realm would have to deal with a lot of new enemies.

She discovered at the last minute that she would be the judge. Apparently, when it came to treason, the rulers were the one in charge of deciding which sentence fit best. Sparx citizens believed in the Royal Family to be strong enough not to be biased, something she didn’t think possible.

But, as her parents had recently came back, and ignored everything about what had happened, it was decided that the Princess of Sparx would be the judge. And even though she’d tried to stay out of this, she realized it was the perfect opportunity to get Baltor indemnity. So she accepted. But as she sat on the throne, and motioned for the guards to let the wizard enter, she also realized that this wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d imagined.

The people of Sparx expected a real judgement. But she wasn’t a Princess, except by blood. She had no idea how to act, and worst of all, she liked the man ! At the end of the day, she could just decide he was a new Sparx citizen, and no one could contest her decision.

Although she knew they all expected her to give him a life sentence in Omega, as they knew what he had done to her the past year. How much of trouble he’d been in her life. How he had attempted to destroy her school, her friends, herself. Oh, and the Magical Dimension. But her opinion wouldn’t be biased at all, no.

At the end of the day, though, she really didn’t have a choice. So she learned everything she had to say by heart, and she hoped it would enough.

First, she’d questioned Griffin. Asked her about her time with Baltor, and the Ancestresses. She was the only one left to remember this time. And she had not deceived her, as the old witch made it abundantly clear that Baltor never had a choice, and was always forced to obey.

Baltor had made sure she would know which question to ask, and in which order.

Then she asked about how Mrs. Faragonda had talked her in joining the side of light, and fighting against her own side. She let Griffin talk about her time with the Company of Light, and how this helped her become the woman she was today.

Many people had raised brows when they learned that the respected headmistress of Alfea had been in contact with the forces of darkness, but it was clear that it had been a good thing.

Unfortunately, the witch couldn’t tell anything about the last battle against the Three Ancestral Witches, as she’d been knocked out by something. It made Bloom clench her teeth, but she let her go, knowing she wouldn’t get more.

She then chose to ask Saladin the same questions, and overall, it was the same story : he fought with bravery against the darkness, but in the last battle he, too, had been knocked out. Although, he said, he remembered pain in the back of his head, as if he’d been hit by something. But he couldn’t tell her much more. Helia pated his back, and smiled encouragingly.

Her disappointment must’ve showed on her face though, because at this moment, Baltor chose to snort. She immediately told him to shut up, as a reflex, and it seemed the Court assumed it was an order, instead of the joke it really was. There had been some applauses, but they’d been silenced quickly by the looks on the guards’ face. She sighed, knowing she’d just risked her cover. There was a plan, and she needed to stick to it. Only a few more hours to go.

Her gaze had turned to Alfea’s headmistress, who smiled gently. It took all she had in her to avoid showing her disgust, and to smile back. Albeit it was a tight, fake smile, she was sure her old mentor would not think much of it. After all, it was a pretty hard day.

She began to ask if she had had any contact with other forces of evil, except for Mrs. Griffin. The answer had been a firm no, and Bloom believed it. The witch had only been a childhood friend, and that had granted her a special place in Faragonda’s heart, nothing more.

The Princess nodded, and simply asked her about the last battle. As she expected, it was Mrs. Faragonda that had teleported them all out of the room and into a spaceship, as the curse spread on Sparx.

Stealing a glance at her friends, she saw Stella looking at the ground, her hands in tight fists. Flora had put a hand on her shoulders, and her mother held her other arm. The Solarian Princess seemed glad, and Bloom knew that having her mother support her meant a lot. Unfortunately, her father didn’t make it in time, but he’d promised he’d be there tomorrow. The Winx suspected he was afraid of seeing Baltor again, after what he did to him.

Coming back to the scene before her, she thanked the fairy headmistress. She then let her eyes wander over to Hagen, and noticed his leg was bouncing out of nervousness. She resisted the urge to raise a brow at that, instead focusing on her questions. And sure enough, he told the same story as his two counterparts. Except, he stopped himself when talking about the last battle. Of course, the Princess had urged him on, and his reaction had been exactly what she hoped for : he looked at Mrs. Faragonda, for a split of a second. It had been too quick for anyone else to notice, but she’d seen it.

He then took a deep breath in and told her that he’d been knocked out, too. Probably because of the dark energy. Bloom had put on a tight smile, and nodded, hoping she didn’t show her suspicions too much.

The red head then locked eye contact with King Sky, and then his father. Erendor nodded, signaling that he was ready to testify when the moment would come. So her eyes fell back on Baltor.

“I have made up my mind about you, and this trial has been going on for too long already. Your crimes have been left unpunished, but today that ends, as you stand here before us, accused of conspiring against the side of light, of conspiring against the Realm of Sparx, of betraying the Realm of Sparx, and of murder attempt against the Royal Family Bloodline.”

Her words were loud and clear as she spoke with as much assurance as she could muster, staring at Baltor, dead in the eyes. He looked as serious as her, for once. No smirk on his lips, no mischief in his eyes, no taunting words coming out of his mouth.

Maybe a part of him was even worried about the events that were to come.

“How do you answer these charges…”

Her lower lip trembled, and balled her hands into fists. She felt her whole body tense, as she turned her head to the right, her gaze shifting to a face she’d come to hate.

“…Mrs. Faragonda ?”

For a moment, everything seemed to froze, as it took some time for people to understand what was going on. But gasps and whispers exploded at once, and her father had to get up from his seat to get silence once again.

Her gaze never left the old headmistress face, and out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Baltor turn around to face her too, finally back to himself. As for the fairy teacher, she sat there, her mouth opened, not quite knowing how to react.

“I believe the Princess asked you a question,” he stated, satisfied with himself.

Immediately, she got up, and Stella followed suit, her body tense. Baltor slowly retreated toward Bloom, standing to her left, leaving his place to Faragonda.

“What are you talking about Bloom ?” She asked, obviously hurt. But no one could know if it was because of her student’s sudden change in behavior, or the shame of being played.

“It’s Princess Bloom, to you,” told Stella, a burning hatred in her eyes.

Flora had a hand on her wrist, and slowly stood up too. The rest of the Winx Club slowly followed, unsure of what was going to happen.

“I’m talking about you conspiring against the Realm of Sparx. I am talking about you betraying my people. I am talking about you trying to get me and my friends killed, as you threw us in danger when we were only sixteen. Do you deny it ?”

“Yes ! I never did any of that !”

“You did,” interrupted Erendor, as he stood up so that everyone would see him.

Faragonda’s eyes widened, and she whispered his name in disbelief, but he ignored it.

“I testify that this woman has conspired against the Realm of Sparx from the beginning.”

“What are you doing ?” She asked, a little louder this time.

“Doing what I should have done a long time ago,” he stated as he looked at her as you would an insect. “This woman tried to convince me to betray your rulers, King Oritel and Queen Marion, in the last battle against the Three Ancestral Witches. Her plan was simple : when the Witches would be in the middle of being casted out in the Obsidian Dimension, I, along with Hagen, would knock the others down, letting Mrs. Faragonda trap your King and Queen in this dimension.”

“Why ?” Asked Hagen, as he slumped down in his chair. He seemed older, all of a sudden. But his face didn’t show any anger, just simple curiosity.

“I was unfortunately unable to make it this day, as I betrayed this Realm by making a pact with the Witches : if I wanted to stop them from destroying my home, I would have to break my alliance with Sparx,” he said while ignoring Hagen’s question, or the whispers when he ended his sentence. “I am ready to face the consequences of these actions, from today.”

Bloom nodded.

“Do you have anything to say, Swordsmith ?”

Hagen looked down, and nodded, under the angry eyes of the fairy teacher.

“What Erendor said is true. And… I lied,” he let out in a sigh. “I did accept Mrs. Faragonda’s offer, as she made it seem like it was the right thing to do. She said Sparx was too strong, and it was unfair for the other Realms. She promised that the King and Queen would not suffer, as if they were deeply asleep, and we could wake them up sometime later. And I was stupid enough to accept.”

“What did you do exactly ?”

“I waited until Faragonda started her incantation, this was the plan. Then I knocked out my companions, and brought them next to Mrs. Faragonda, so that we could all escape the room safely.”

“Except for my parents ?”

He took a sharp breath in.

“Yes.”

The Princess simply nodded, and couldn’t help to notice the look on the old fairy’s face : disdain, or disgust. Bloom couldn’t tell, but she knew this wasn’t something she often saw on her mentor’s face, making her realize that, maybe, she didn’t know the woman as well as she thought she did.

But instead of dwelling on this thought, she reminded herself that this day needed to end, and it wouldn’t be possible without her. So she forced her eyes to go back to Hagen’s face, and her mouth to come up with new words.

“Were you in love with her ?”

Surprised, he looked up at her, and slowly nodded.

“Yes, I was,” he answered without hesitation.

“Are you in love with her now ?”

His posture went rigid, and for a moment, she believed he was going to stop talking altogether : his eyes had suddenly lost all the life they held a second ago, and his shoulders had dropped. It was a sight she never believed she would see. Or ever hoped to.

In the short time she’d known him, Hagen had always been alive. Whether it was by being angry, fueled by hatred and bitterness, or love for everything he saw around him. Curiosity, as he discovered what Alfea had become. There had been a spark, always intense, telling how much this man had seen and done. Telling how much he still wanted to do.

But now, as she asked her question, all of this disappeared. The weight of years fell on his shoulders, something she never noticed before. All she knew was that he had grey hair, but she never noticed the bags under his eyes, or the marks of the time that scarred his face. And she couldn’t help but feel a bit sad for him, even though he led her people to a tragedy.

“A part of me still is, yes.”

And that was what made him so miserable. Somewhere, inside him, he hated the fact that he was still capable of loving a woman who had destroyed so many lives. He’d tried to punish himself for that, locking himself away for years, ready to endure whatever the punishment was.

The Princess licked her lips, nodding, as her gaze fell back onto her old mentor.

“Blo- Princess Bloom. I know my actions were a little weird, but I can promise you, I can explain everything !”

“Well, go on.”

Surprise was written all over her face, but the old fairy quickly recovered and started talking.

“I never wanted to hurt you, or get you killed !”

“Yet, you put me and my friends in the front row of every battle.”

“I had no other choice !”

“What about the army ?”

“She can’t always be there in time !”

“What about the teachers ?”

“They’re not enough, we needed the help of our students.”

“To fight evil ?”

“Yes, Bloom. But I never abandoned you. I rescued you after Lord Darkar took you, didn’t I ?”

“But this was your fault. You didn’t really check Avalon’s identity. A professor that would teach and could get near any student of yours.”

“We needed new professors quickly.”

“So you take the first creep that can do magic, I see.”

“You know it isn’t like that, Bl- Princess Bloom.”

“No, I don’t.”

“You were always the most obvious choice ! The most powerful fairy in my school, and you had your friends with you !”

“So you’re saying it’s okay to throw 17 years old in battle, when they don’t even have their own Enchantix ?”

Faragonda gasped, and her magic electrified the air around her. Cracking, and clashing against the Winx’s. Still, she tried to hide her anger, and pleaded to the red head as if she had no dignity. If anything, Bloom was disgusted, realizing the woman she held in high esteem was nothing more than a liar.

And they said the Witches were bad.

“Please Bloom !”

“Running out of arguments, is she ?” Wondered Baltor aloud, making the red head smile.

“Don’t listen to that snake Bloom !”

The warning only made him laugh, and she honestly entertained the idea of joining him.

“Everyone, he must’ve marked her ! Act ! Quick ! Winx, save your fri-“

“We’re not your soldiers,” snapped Stella.

You could see the satisfaction on her face, as she said out loud the words that had been haunting her for the past few months.

“I never-“

“Stop being ridiculous and start telling the truth instead,” shot Tecna.

It took Alfea’s headmistress a second before composing herself again, and once again she looked to the thrones.

“Oritel, Marion, please. You _know_ I would never do anything bad intentionally.”

The red head heard a scoff, but she was too shocked by the audacity the old fairy had in her.

“How dare you ?” Asked her father.

“Your Kingdom was above everyone else ! I fight for equality for everyone. You were going to be the death of this society. I just couldn’t let it happen.”

Silence fell, and the headmistress realized what she had done.

It had taken but a second for the illusion to fall apart, and now stood before her the real Faragonda. The calculating woman, ready to do anything to accomplish what silly belief she had. Even if that meant the death of her close friends.

Ignoring the boiling anger in her, Bloom spoke up.

“So you admit ?”

“What ?” Asked Faragonda, as innocently as she could, even though her face betrayed her.

This was her shot. The old fairy knew it was too late to back down. She already said too much.

And this day needed to end anyway. She was beginning to have a horrible migraine.

“Do you deny conspiring against the Realm of Sparx ?” She asked once again.

It took a minute for Mrs. Faragonda for answering.

“No, I did but-“

“Do you deny conspiring against the Light Alliance during the fight against the Three Ancestral Witches ?”

“I don’t but you have to under-“

“Do you deny attempting to murder the King and Queen of Sparx ?”

“I simply wanted them out of the way for a few years then-“

“Do you deny it ?”

“I think-“

 “Do You Deny It ?”

This time she punctuated every word, tired of this mascharade.

 “I- No,” she admitted in a sigh.

“Do you deny attempting to end Sparx’s bloodline ?”

“Bloom, I promise you, I never wanted you to die. I’m sorry if the way I acted was wrong, but it simply never was my intent-“

“ **Do you deny it ?** ”

Finally, her anger got to her, and she almost screamed the question. This was getting stupid, and she wanted this whole thing to be over.

And it seemed Faragonda was surprised to hear her that angry, as she looked to the ground and admitted her defeat.

“No. I don’t.”

Relaxing into her throne, she signaled to the guards to take hold of her. She did not fight, but the Princess would not take any unnecessary risks.

“Therefor, I am forced to condemn you to eternal banishment, in the Realm of Omega.”

She avoided the gaze of the now prisoner, and instead looked over to Hagen.

“Master Swordsmith Hagen, you are charged with conspiring against the Realm of Sparx, and of betraying the Realm of Sparx. What do you have to say ?”

“Guilty, Princess Bloom.”

“In light of your admissions, you will be sentenced to a banishment in the Dimension of Omega, for thirty years.”

He seemed ready to accept, when someone coughed next to her. Looking up, she met Baltor’s eyes, and raised an eyebrow.

“If I may… he was in love with this woman right ?” He whispered. “I’m guessing she knew of it all along, and counted on it. Perhaps his sentence could be a little… lighter ?”

She thought about it. Hagen had been manipulated, his love used against himself. And even though it was still strong enough to convince him not to tell the truth, he did help in this trial. She sighed.

Really, since when did Baltor make so much sense ?

“Hagen, your love for this woman has been used against you. In order to make up for your crime, I will let you decide between two sentences : fifteen years of banishment in Omega, or twenty-five years serving the Realm of Sparx, and putting your knowledge into our hands.”

She knew those choices were hard, and she let him think about it while they all looked at him.

The idea of spending fifteen years in Omega would easily bring down anyone. But Hagen valued his knowledge about swords above his life. And as the seconds ticked by, it was easy to see he entertained the former idea, as surprising as it was to anyone.

He fidgeted, his eyes darting on all sides in the room. Pity filled her, as she looked at him. This was not entirely his fault, and because of Faragonda, he now faced sentences reserved for the worst criminals.

“I will serve your Kingdom, Princess Bloom.”

She smiled. At least she would be able to try and alleviate his sentence. A good thing indeed.

“Very well.”

She motioned for other guards to come get him, and they put him behind Faragonda.

“As for you, King Erendor, you are charged with betrayal against the Realm of Sparx. Do you have anything to say against those charges ?”

“No, Princess Bloom.”

She nodded, glad the two men weren’t trying to make it hard for her.

“Very well. We shall sentence you to twenty years of banishment in Omega.”

He got up from his seat, ready to join the two other prisoners before she ever could give him the order. But she put her hand in the air, stopping him in his tracks.

“However, this betrayal was done to save your own people. Moreover, your son, the King, has proven his loyalty to Sparx as he helped me break the curse bestowed upon my people, risking his own life in the process. Therefore, we will simply give you a warning : that any action that you could ever do against us, will be taken as betrayal and be harshly punished.”

His eyes had widened out of surprise, not expecting mercy on him, and he immediately bowed to her, and her parents, repeating his gratitude toward her, and her family. She only nodded. And then stood up, wishing to appear as confident as possible.

“As for Baltor, here standing next to me, it has been confirmed that he was under a curse the Three Ancestral Witches had put on him, forcing him to do their bidding, to obey their every order, and make him forget any notion of free will. They made him the monster that attacked us,” she revealed. “During the battle, however, this curse was broken. He now has his own free will, and has vowed to serve me to make up for his past actions.”

The court seemed to agree with that explanation. They knew what kind of vow she was talking about, or they assumed they did. In anyway, none tried to contest her decision. Griffin had her eyes strained on him, and it was obvious she would talk to him later. As for Saladin, he had the hand of his son in his, the situation being a lot more than what he expected.

She cast one last look to her old headmistress, and Hagen, before waving her hand. Mrs. Faragonda was put in magical handcuffs, effectively stopping her from doing any magic, then led to the prison. Hagen was roughly pulled back, too, and led to a vacant chamber, his work starting tomorrow.

Everyone looked towards the gates, not a word being uttered. They watched the two convicts as they disappeared out of the room, and the only sound that could be heard was the noise the chains made as they hit each other. Then, some people started exiting through the giant doors, not forgetting to bow towards their Highnesses.

It was slow, and Bloom could feel herself getting tired by the second. It was terrible. All she wanted to do was get back to her room, and sleep. This had been hard on her : seeing her mentor trying to lie her way out of this situation had the same effect of knife being plunged inside her chest. It had took all her control to not make any rash decisions, knowing she would regret it.

Her mind became blank, and she closed focused on staying up on her feets.

At some point, she opened her eyes to find herself in her room, Baltor helping her get to her bed. She used her magic to get into a comfortable night dress, and fell onto the bed, a heavy sigh leaving her mouth.

“You were very good,” he said, resting in a chair, facing the bed.

She hummed, not really in the mood to discuss the quality of her trial. She really wanted to forget about it.

“Who will take Faragonda’s spot as headmistress ?”

She groaned.

“Baltor…” she warned.

“I’m just kidding,” he said, although they both knew that was a lie.

She smiled at him, and then closed her eyes.

She now had tomorrow to worry about all that.

For now, she could just lay there.

And rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this scene is heavily inspired by Little Finger’s final trial, when Sansa and Arya trap him (Game Of Thrones, Season 8). I had shivers all along, and I just thought that it’d be perfect… So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I’ll finish the last one and publish it when I can.
> 
> I called this chapter "Greedy" for three main reasons : Faragonda was greedy when she destroyed Sparx only for what she thought was right, Bloom was greedy by letting Baltor go just like that, and because I really like Ariana Grande.
> 
> Anyway.   
> Leave some reviews please, and I’ll see you in the final chapter.


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